Story highlights Trump met with Democrats and Republicans

Trump and McCaskill are now working to set up a phone call

Washington (CNN) President Donald Trump hosted a bipartisan group of senators for lunch Thursday at the White House to discuss their potential support for Neil Gorsuch, the President's Supreme Court pick.

The meeting was an attempt by Trump to smooth the way for Gorsuch's confirmation, but his attempt may have been colored by his continued criticism of Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

Blumenthal said Wednesday that Gorsuch told him he found Trump's previous attack on a federal judge "disheartening" and "demoralizing." Trump responded early Thursday morning saying it was Blumenthal who was wrong about what Gorsuch said.

Trump repeated that claim even as he was seated with five members of the Senate's Democratic caucus.

"His comments were misrepresented and what you should do is ask Sen. Blumenthal about his Vietnam record that didn't exist," Trump said at the beginning of a meeting, referring to the fact that the Connecticut Democrat was forced to apologize in 2010 for saying he served in Vietnam, when he only served during the Vietnam era.

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