A ‘pressure cooker’: Trump’s frustration and fury rupture alliances, threaten agenda

By Robert Costa, Philip Rucker and Ashley Parker October 9 at 7:37 PM

Frustrated by his Cabinet and angry that he has not received enough credit for his handling of three successive hurricanes, President Trump is now lashing out, rupturing alliances and imperiling his legislative agenda, numerous White House officials and outside advisers said Monday.

In a matter of days, Trump has torched bridges all around him; nearly imploded an informal deal with Democrats to protect the young undocumented immigrants brought to the country as children; and plunged himself into the culture wars on issues ranging from birth control to the national anthem. ... In doing so, Trump is laboring to solidify his standing with his populist base and return to the comforts of his campaign — especially after the embarrassing defeat of Sen. Luther Strange (R) in last month’s Alabama special election, despite the president’s trip there to campaign with the senator.

Sen. Bob Corker’s brutal assessment of Trump’s fitness for office — warning that his reckless behavior could launch the nation “on the path to World War III” — also landed like a thunderclap inside the White House, where aides feared possible ripple effects among other Republicans on Capitol Hill.
....

One Trump confidant likened the president to a whistling teapot, saying that when he does not blow off steam he can turn into a pressure cooker and explode. “I think we are in pressure cooker territory,” said this person, who requested anonymity to speak candidly.
....

Robert Costa is a national political reporter at The Washington Post.
Follow @costareports

Philip Rucker is the White House Bureau Chief for The Washington Post. He previously has covered Congress, the Obama White House, and the 2012 and 2016 presidential campaigns. He joined The Post in 2005 as a local news reporter.
Follow @PhilipRucker

Ashley Parker is a White House reporter for The Washington Post. She joined The Post in 2017, after 11 years at The New York Times, where she covered the 2012 and 2016 presidential campaigns and Congress, among other things.
Follow @ashleyrparker