Trump claims the New York Times 'set up' Republican senator by recording what he said

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Donald Trump has claimed the “failing” New York Times set up Senator Bob Corker to look like a fool – by recording a conversation with the Republican legislator.

“The Failing @nytimes set Liddle' Bob Corker up by recording his conversation,” Mr Trump tweeted. “Was made to sound a fool, and that's what I am dealing with!”

Excerpts from the interview published by the Times indicate that Mr Corker knew he was being recorded.

Aides to Mr Corker were also on the same telephone line when he made the remarks, according to the newspaper.

“Corker had 2 aides on line, also recording, and they made sure after it ended that I was taping, too,” Times reporter Jonathan Martin tweeted.

Mr Trump’s comments are part of an escalating feud between him and Mr Corker, who had suggested to the Times that some of the President’s remarks toward other nations could lead to World War III.

Mr Trump had tweeted on Sunday that Mr Corker “wanted to be Secretary of State, I said ‘NO THANKS’. The President also said the Tennessee lawmaker was “largely responsible for the horrendous Iran Deal!”

Mr Corker, according to Mr Trump, had “begged” the President for his endorsement if he decided to run for re-election in Tennessee.

“I said ‘NO’ and he dropped out (said he could not win without my endorsement),” Mr Trump said.

Mr Corker hit back, asserting that the White House had become an adult day care centre.

Mr Corker's office on Sunday said that Mr Trump called Mr Corker last Monday afternoon “and asked him to reconsider his decision not to seek reelection and reaffirmed that he would have endorsed him, as he has said many times,” according to Politico.

Mr Trump’s name-calling and harsh words against Mr Corker are examples of a stark departure from how the President once appeared to view the Tennessee lawmaker.

Mr Corker was a national security adviser to Mr Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign and was featured on Mr Trump's shortlists last year for both Vice President and Secretary of State.

Mr Trump has often come up with nicknames for his opponents. He labelled Republican Senator Marco Rubio “Liddle Marco” when he was running against him during the presidential primaries. He also called Republican Senator Ted Cruz “Lyin’ Ted”.

The spat between Mr Trump and Mr Corker could potentially endanger the President’s effort to rewrite the US tax code.

Mr Corker, who is head of the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee, will also play a key role in the congressional response to the administration’s decertification of the Iran nuclear deal.

Mr Trump is expected to announce this week that he will decertify the agreement.