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President Trump has drawn criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike over his response to the violence in Charlottesville, Va., between white supremacists and counter-protesters.

Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee delivered one of the most stinging reviews Thursday when he said the president had yet to show the stability and competence needed to achieve success.

The president has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability, nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful," the Republican lawmaker told reporters in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Corker repeated himself later, as if to stress those words.

"We should hope that he aspires, does some self-reflection, does what is necessary to demonstrate stability, to demonstrate competence, to demonstrate that he understands the character of our nation and works daily to bring out the best of the people in our nation," he said.

Corker did not stumble over those carefully chosen words.

I will say we are at a point where there needs to be radical changes that take place at the White House. I think the president needs to take stock of the role he plays in our nation and move beyond himself, move way beyond himself, and move to a place where daily, hes waking up and thinking about whats best for our nation, he continued.

Corker didn't elaborate on what changes he was talking about. But he did indicate that he believes Trump pushes his personal agenda first, before thinking of the country as a whole.

Corker has been generally supportive of Trump. Hes voiced his approval of the president's agenda on immigration reform, the fight against Islamic State and the decision to withdraw from the Paris climate agreement.

Even in October, when a now-infamous Access Hollywood tape was released showing Trump making lewd remarks about women in 2005, Corker criticized Trumps comments then as inappropriate. But he was not one of the Republican senators who withdrew his support for Trump's candidacy.

Now a new dilemma has arisenwithinthe GOP over Trumps responses to the violence in Charlottesville, Va. Two days after the deadly unrest, Trump gave a scripted speech that condemned white supremacists, the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis. But the next day, he referred both to white supremacist protesters and counter-demonstrators who had confronted them, saying that "both sides" were responsible for the mayhem. The back-and-forth statementsprompted many Republicans to publicly chastise Trump for not placing greater blame on the racist marchers.

When asked whetherTrump had done enough to denounce these groups, Corker did not mince words.

"White supremacy groups, neo-Nazi groups, KKK groups are not whats good about our nation. They are to be called out for what they are, and that is repugnant," he said, adding, I dont think the president has appropriately spoken to the nation on this issue.

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Leading Republican says Trump lacks the stability and competence needed for success - Los Angeles Times