Pat Toomey on His Criticisms of President Trump

WE HEARD PRESIDENT TRUMP TODAY PRAISE BORIS JOHNSON.

HE SAID EVERYBODY IN BRITAIN LIKES ME AND THAT'S GREAT BECAUSE BORIS IS LIKE ME.

I WANT TO KNOW WHETHER YOU THINK IT IS IN THE PRESIDENT'S PURVIEW TO CARVE OUT THIS PREFERENTIAL DEAL THEY THINK THEY CAN GET.

I THINK IT IS.

I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY, VERY GOOD FOR THE ECONOMIES OF BOTH COUNTRIES TO HAVE A FREE TRADE AGREEMENT.

AND IT IS SOMETHING, AS YOU POINT OUT, THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS ELUDED TO.

I'M NOT AWARE OF A LOT OF PROGRESS BEING MADE ON THAT FRONT.

BUT I HAVE ENCOURAGED THE ADMINISTRATION TO PURSUE EXACTLY THAT.

THERE IS A MAJOR ISSUE HERE THAT'S VERY CLOSE TO THE U.S.

AND THAT IS MAINTAINING FREEDOM AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE PEACE AGREEMENT BETWEEN IRELAND AND BRITAIN AND THE FREEDOM OF THAT BORDER.

I SPOKE TO NANCY PELOSI, LEADER OF THE HOUSE JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO ABOUT THIS, AND SHE LAID OUT HOW A TRADE DEAL WITH THE UNITED STATES WOULD BE INTRICATELY LINKED WITH THIS FREEDOM AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT.

TAKE A LISTEN, SIR.

THE U.S. WAS VERY MUCH A PART OF THIS HISTORIC PEACE AGREEMENT.

BUT IT'S NOT JUST THAT AGREEMENT.

IT WAS SOMETHING BIGGER.

IT'S A VALUE THAT JUST TOOK US TO THIS PLACE OF SUCCESS ON THE PART OF THE UK HAVING A ROLE IN IT, IRELAND, NORTHERN IRELAND AND THE UNITED STATES.

AND WE ARE GUARANTORS OF THAT.

NOT JUST THE AGREEMENT, GOOD FRIDAY OF COURSE, BUT THE IDEA OF IT AND WHAT IT IS AS A MODEL TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.

AND AS A MODEL TO THE REST OF THE WORLD, IT CAN'T BE SOMETHING THAT IS UNRAVELLED.

IT IS VERY HARD TO PASS A TRADE AGREEMENT IN CONGRESS.

VERY, VERY HARD.

AND AT ONE -- AT A U.S., UK TRADE AGREEMENT THAT WOULD BE A REWARD FOR WEAKENING THE GOOD FRIDAY ACCORDS IS JUST NOT APPROPRIATE.

BUT MAYBE THEY CAN ACCOMPLISH IT WITHOUT DOING THAT.

WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT AS A CONSOLATION FOR LEAVING THE EU THEY'RE NOT GETTING THE U.S.

SENATOR, DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT, THAT THERE CAN BE NO REWARDING OF BREXIT BRITAIN IF NORTHERN IRELAND AND IRELAND AND THE PEACE AGREEMENT IS PUT AT RISK?

WELL, I DON'T THINK OF IT IN TERMS OF REWARDING ENGLAND OR THE UK FOR BREXIT.

BUT I DO AGREE THAT AMERICAN LAWMAKERS WILL BE VERY CAREFUL TO ADD TO THE STATUS OF THAT BORDER.

OBVIOUSLY WE ALL REMEMBER ALL TOO PAINFULLY HOW TRAGIC AND HOW DIFFICULT THAT HISTORY WAS AND HOW REMARKABLY SUCCESSFUL THE GOOD FRIDAY AGREEMENT HAS BEEN.

SO THIS, OF COURSE, IS VERY MUCH ON THE MINDS OF THE IRISH