Trump blames his own team for looming financial storm

DONALD TRUMP intensified his attacks on Republican leaders in Congress yesterday, blaming them for leading the country closer to the economic calamity of a being unable to pay its bills and defaulting on debt.

Congress has until September 29 to raise limits on government borrowing or face financial turmoil.

This week Mr Trump has turned his fire repeatedly on his own side of the political divide. Critics say he is isolating himself from the officials he needs to pursue his political agenda, while supporters insist it is all part of an election promise to shake up Washington.

In a series of tweets, Mr Trump singled out Mitch Mcconnell and Paul Ryan, who lead Republicans in the Senate and the House respectively, accusing them of being responsible for a “mess”.

He said he offered them a chance to write the necessary legislation into a bill to help military veterans which he has since signed into law.

“They didn’t do it so now we have a big deal with Dems holding them up (as usual) on Debt Ceiling approval. Could have been so easy – now a mess!” he wrote in two tweets.

The issue is at the top of a to-do list when Congress returns from summer break.

Without a rise in borrowing, the government would not have enough money to pay almost a quarter of its bills, according to an analysis by the Bipartisan Policy Centre, and the US could lose its AAA credit rating, provoking turmoil on financial markets.