18 Oct 2017

'I fight back' Trump warns McCain

From Morning Report, 7:55 am on 18 October 2017

The US President Donald Trump has warned outspoken Republican Senator John McCain to be careful what he says because, in Mr Trump's words, I fight back. Mr McCain delivered a withering critique of Mr Trump's leadership in an acceptance speech after being awarded the Liberty Medal.

Mr Trump was asked about the criticism during a television interview and said: "I'm being very nice. I'm being very, very nice. But at some point I fight back, and it won't be pretty."

The clash with John McCain came as Mr Trump has been attempting to make a show of unity with the Senate Majorty leader Mitch McConnell, who the president has previously blamed for the failure to get key policies passed into law. Nina-Maria Potts joins us with the latest from the US.