Trump lashes out at Koch brothers

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump lashed out at the Koch brothers Tuesday, saying their conservative political funding and policy network has “become a total joke in real Republican circles” and is “highly overrated.”

The president’s assessment, made in a flurry of morning tweets, followed a weekend gathering at which top officials affiliated with billionaire industrialist Charles Koch sought to distance the network from Mr. Trump and his base in the Republican Party, citing tariff and immigration policies and “divisive” rhetoric out of Washington.

On Monday, the network also announced that it does not currently plan to support Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer in his effort to unseat Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, one of the most vulnerable Democrats up for re-election this November. Mr. Trump campaigned for Mr. Cramer at a rally in Fargo last month.

“The globalist Koch Brothers, who have become a total joke in real Republican circles, are against Strong Borders and Powerful Trade,” Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter. “I never sought their support because I don’t need their money or bad ideas.”

Mr. Trump asserted that the Kochs “love” some of his policies, including tax cuts and conservative picks for federal courts. But he said the Kochs were being driven by a desire to “protect their companies outside the U.S. from being taxed.”

“I’m for America First & the American Worker — a puppet for no one,” Mr. Trump said.