Former Speaker Boehner Calls Trump 'A Complete Disaster'

Former US House Speaker John Boehner has a strong message for President Donald Trump about his tenure as president: Aside from international affairs, Trump’s time in office thus far as been a ‘complete disaster,’ The Associated Press reported Friday.

According to the energy publication Rigzone, Boehner, speaking at an energy conference Thursday in Houston, Texas, praised Trump for his approach abroad and his aggressiveness in fighting militants.

"Everything else he's done (in office) has been a complete disaster. He's still learning how to be president.” – Former House Speaker John Boehner

Boehner, who says he’s been a Trump friend for 15 years, said he still has a hard time envisioning him as president, the AP reported, adding Trump shouldn't be allowed to Tweet overnight.

David Schnittger, a spokesman for Boehner, confirmed the comments on Friday to the AP.

Rigzone also quoted Boehner saying the Republican tax reform effort "is just a bunch of happy talk" and the border adjustment tax – a major priority for Boehner's successor, Speaker Paul Ryan – is "deader than a doornail." He said he was more optimistic about tax reform earlier in the year, but "now my odds are 60/40."

Earlier this year, Boehner said he was pessimistic about another congressional Republican priority - repealing and replacing former President Barack Obama's Affordable Care Act, the report said.

Boehner said while Republicans would fix some problems of Obama's law, repeal and replacement is "not going to happen,” the AP report said.

He added, "Republicans never, ever agree on health care."

The GOP-led House narrowly passed a bill earlier this month. The Senate has struggled to produce legislation that all in the GOP can back. Legislation is currently being written in the Senate, reports said, and a bill is expected to be unveiled after the week-long Memorial Day break.

On investigations into Russia, Boehner told the Texas forum "they need to get to the bottom of this" but said Democratic talk of impeachment is the best way to rile up Trump supporters, the report said.

Speaking tongue-in-cheek, Boehner made it clear he's happier now that he's left Capitol Hill.

"I wake up every day, drink my morning coffee and say, 'Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,'" he said, according to Rigzone.

And unsurprisingly, Boehner said he doesn't want to be president.

"I drink red wine. I smoke cigarettes. I golf. I cut my own grass. I iron my own clothes. And I'm not willing to give all that up to be president," he said.

– WN.com, Jack Durschlag