NPR

Trump's Turn To Democrats Poses Fresh Challenge To His Loyal Base

Even in his Inauguration Day address, Trump signaled that he might go his own way. He may be testing that option now, keeping a weather eye on the reaction from his truest believers.
President Donald Trump speaks at a rally Aug. 22, 2017, in Phoenix, Ariz. / Rick Scuteri / Shutterstock.com

President Trump continues to learn things about his job and the rest of us continue to learn things about Donald Trump.

Last week, faced with one natural disaster festering in Texas and another impending in Florida, Trump used a storm relief bill to save Congress from a fiscal disaster of its own making.

Moreover, he did it by shunning his own party's leaders in the House and Senate and cutting a deal instead with the leaders of the opposition.

So it was that the president ended the week basking in appreciation across a broad swath of the media spectrum — a fact he noted with satisfaction in a follow-up conversation with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

"He said, do you watch Fox News? I said, not really," . "He said, they're praising you. And stations — meaning I guess MSNBC, CNN — are praising. This is great."

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