When Sen. Bob Corker appeared on CNN Sunday, he had no shortage of criticism for President Donald Trump, hitting hard at the commander in chief both for his Syria policy and his demand for border wall funding that led to a partial shutdown of the government. The Republican senator from Tennessee said during the interview that Trump pushed the government into a shutdown as a way of scoring political points. “This is a made-up fight, so the President can look like he’s fighting, but even if he wins, our borders are going to be insecure,” Corker said. The senator added that the insistence on the wall was “a purposefully contrived fight” and said that “the whole thing is juvenile.” He also said he was “saddened” by the president’s decision to pull troops out of Syria.

"This is a made-up fight, so the President can look like he's fighting, but even if he wins, our borders are going to be insecure." GOP Sen. Bob Corker says President Trump pushed the government into partial shutdown as an act of political posturing. https://t.co/tvNLgFv2qG pic.twitter.com/Xy69wtNOZE — CNN (@CNN) December 23, 2018

"I'm just saddened for our country in being so unreliable … I'm devastated by this," Republican Sen. Bob Corker says of Trump's decision to pull troops out of Syria. Via CNN. pic.twitter.com/gASFZJlWjm — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 23, 2018

Trump didn’t like that one bit and shortly afterward took to Twitter to rip into the senator in a pair of tweets, one of which contained a badly misspelled word. “Senator Bob Corker just stated that, ‘I’m so priveledged to serve in the Senate for twelve years, and that’s what I told the people of our state that’s what I’d do, serve for two terms.’ But that is Not True - wanted to run but poll numbers TANKED when I wouldn’t endorse him,” Trump wrote. The president then repeated his frequent criticism of Corker that blames him for “the horrible Iran Nuclear Deal, which I ended.”

Senator Bob Corker just stated that, “I’m so priveledged to serve in the Senate for twelve years, and that’s what I told the people of our state that’s what I’d do, serve for two terms.” But that is Not True - wanted to run but poll numbers TANKED when I wouldn’t endorse him..... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018

.....Bob Corker was responsible for giving us the horrible Iran Nuclear Deal, which I ended, yet he badmouths me for wanting to bring our young people safely back home. Bob wanted to run and asked for my endorsement. I said NO and the game was over. #MAGA I LOVE TENNESSEE! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 23, 2018

It could have all ended there, but Corker decided to pick up the baton. “Yes, just like Mexico is paying for the wall,” Corker wrote while retweeting Trump’s criticism. He then used the hashtag “#AlertTheDaycareStaff.” Corker made the dig at a time when Trump is apparently particularly vulnerable to that type of criticism. Reports claim the president was particularly angry at the coverage surrounding Defense Secretary James Mattis’ resignation letter because it pushed the story line that some key advisers were the adults in the room keeping Trump’s worst instincts in check.

Yes, just like Mexico is paying for the wall... #AlertTheDaycareStaff https://t.co/4LwrkrSFFr — Senator Bob Corker (@SenBobCorker) December 23, 2018