Slams Koch brothers

Trump slams Koch brothers in 'America first' tweet

By POLITICO STAFF

Donald Trump ratcheted up his feud with the billionaire conservative donor Koch brothers on Thursday, hammering their trade policy rhetoric and questioning whether the Kochs are actually contributing to political campaigns.

“Charles Koch of Koch Brothers, who claims to be giving away millions of dollars to politicians even though I know very few who have seen this (?), now makes the ridiculous statement that what President Trump is doing is unfair to 'foreign workers.' He is correct, AMERICA FIRST!” the president tweeted.

Over the weekend, top officials with the Koch network of donors criticized the Trump administration’s “protectionist” trade policies and the president’s “lack of leadership” during a meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Koch’s political network also announced it would not support, for now, some GOP Senate candidates, including Trump ally Rep. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), who is running to unseat Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.). Koch also suggested he would be willing to work with Democrats on certain issues, including criminal justice reform, if they were to take over control of the House of Representatives in the upcoming midterm elections.

Koch on Sunday also sharply denounced the president’s trade policies.

“We should just get rid of all barriers except on things that will hurt people,” he said, according to ABC News. "Yeah, it's unfair. It's unfair to their people.”

Trump earlier this week attacked the “globalist” Kochs as “a total joke in real Republican circles” who are “against Strong Borders and Powerful Trade.”

“Their network is highly overrated, I have beaten them at every turn. They want to protect their companies outside the U.S. from being taxed, I’m for America First & the American Worker - a puppet for no one. Two nice guys with bad ideas. Make America Great Again!” Trump tweeted on Tuesday.