Senator brings popcorn to Republican lunch - jokes it is to watch Trump and Bob Corker feud

The President was visiting Capitol Hill to talk tax reform

Republican Senator Thom Tillis (Getty Images)

A Republican senator has joked about bringing popcorn to watch the feud play out between President Donald Trump and Senator Bob Corker during a party lunch.

Throughout the morning, Mr Corker and Mr Trump traded insults in advance of the President’s visit to Capitol Hill.

Mr Trump was expected to discuss tax reform during a policy luncheon with Republicans. But there was the possibility that the President’s and Mr Corker’s war of words could escalate during the meal.

Senator Thom Tillis tweeted a photo of himself getting popcorn out of a machine, with the caption, “Ready for lunch with POTUS and @SenateGOP.”

When asked - before the image was posted - by Fox News reporter Neil Cavuto about whether he anticipated any problems between Mr Trump and Mr Corker at the luncheon, Mr Tillis joked that he was “going to bring some popcorn.”

Mr Tillis also held the popcorn as he rode the elevator up from the basement of the Capitol to the floor where the lunch was taking place.

Mr Corker, who will not seek re-election this year, declared earlier in the day that Mr Trump is “debasing” the nation and predicted that the ex-tycoon was “not going to rise to the occasion as president.”

The President hit back on Twitter, arguing that Mr Corker is retiring in 2018 because he “couldn’t get elected dog catcher in Tennessee.”