Trump: I’m ‘disappointed’ with the speed of congressional Republicans

Gabby Kaufman
·Reporter
President Trump speaks at the National Rifle Association Leadership Forum in Atlanta on April 28, 2017. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
President Trump speaks at the National Rifle Association Leadership Forum in Atlanta on April 28, 2017. (Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)

President Trump said Friday that he is disheartened with the pace of the Republican-controlled Congress, which has yet to send a signature piece of legislation to his desk in his first 100 days.

“I’m disappointed that it doesn’t go quicker,” Trump said.

The comments came in an interview scheduled to air Friday evening with Fox News’ Martha MacCallum, who asked Trump’s opinion on how the Republicans have handled the “big issues” that have been raised so far in his presidency, such as health care reform.

On the final episode of Fox’s “The First 100 Days,” Trump said he was disappointed, but he also spoke highly of his congressional allies and singled out House Speaker Paul Ryan for praise, despite reports of tension between the two.

“I like them a lot. I have great relationships. Don’t forget, most of them I didn’t even know,” he said.

Trump pivoted to one of his favorite targets: the Freedom Caucus, a group of several dozen conservative lawmakers who helped tank his initial health care vote. He said he was disappointed he didn’t have more legislative support from both the Freedom Caucus and more moderate Republicans, many of whom also balked at the GOP health care proposal.

“But many of them, like the Freedom Caucus, came, and I see them all the time… ‘We love our president. We’re doing this for our president,’” he said. “You look at that, you look at the moderates, it’s the same thing. I’m disappointed. I’ll tell you Paul Ryan’s trying very, very hard. I think everybody is trying very hard. It is a very tough system.”

Read more from Yahoo News’ coverage of Trump’s first 100 days: