Bob Corker is leaving; he has nothing to lose

The president personally lobbied Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) on Wednesday to back down on his bill that would put new restrictions on the White House’s ability to impose tariffs.

But Corker told Trump he would not pull his bill, which has growing support on Capitol Hill. Instead, he plans to push ahead, potentially weakening Trump’s hand heading into the G-7 meetings with the divisions among Republicans over trade now fully on public display.

[...]

A meeting among G-7 finance ministers last weekend ended in rancor, with economic officials from the other six members issuing a rebuke of Washington. Unable to agree on a joint statement about the agenda ahead of this week’s summit, the other six economic deputies instead asked Mnuchin to relay to Trump their “unanimous concern and disappointment” over tariffs.

[...]

The two-day meeting in Quebec will be the first opportunity for many heads of state to challenge the U.S. leader in person following the imposition on metals imports.

  WaPo

We'll see.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) introduced a bipartisan bill Wednesday that would give Congress new authority to check the president’s trade moves, going forward with the legislation despite a personal appeal from President Trump to back off.

Corker’s bill would require congressional approval when the president enacts tariffs under the auspices of national security, as Trump did last week in imposing levies on aluminum and steel imports from Canada, Mexico and the European Union.

The legislation, which Corker released with a total of nine Democratic and Republican co-sponsors, is the most forceful congressional response to date to Trump’s protectionist trade agenda. For the first time, at least some Republicans are uniting behind a concrete plan to force the president to change course on trade, after months of pleas and appeals achieved little.

[...]

Trump attempted Wednesday to stave off the legislation. Corker, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who is not seeking reelection, said the president called him Wednesday morning and asked him not to file the bill.

But Corker rebuffed Trump’s request. “ ‘I’m a United States senator, and, you know, I have responsibilities, and I’m going to continue to carry them out,’ ” Corker said he told Trump.

Corker said that during a lengthy conversation, the president argued that the senator’s bill would limit Trump’s negotiating authority.

  WaPo

Because he's been so good at it so far.

“It’s a difference of opinion,” Corker said. “He feels that this takes away his negotiating ability, and this in no way takes away his negotiating ability. It’s not any different from him meeting with Kim Jong Un, and, if they reach a deal, him bringing it to the Congress for approval. I’ve explained it’s exactly the same thing.

“He’s obviously not pleased with this effort,” said Corker, who has clashed with the president in the past. “We had a heartfelt conversation. Finally, a lot of time had gone by, and I had other meetings.”

He's going to get tweet-raged as soon as this hits Fox News and His Lordship realizes people other than himself know what happened.

Corker acknowledged that some Republicans are unwilling to cross the president, and Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has ruled out bringing up the measure as a stand-alone bill.

Mitch McConnell is a disgusting pig.

But Corker’s bill appeared to be gaining traction on and off Capitol Hill on Wednesday. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce announced its support, as did Koch Industries.

Maybe the Kochs could lean on McConnell.

At the same time, House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.) played down prospects for a legislative response passing the House.

“You would have to pass a law that he would want to sign into law,” Ryan said. “You can do the math on that.”

The last I knew, Congress can override a veto.

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.