Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., said Monday he does not think of President Donald Trump as a role model.
"I don't consider the president a role model for my kids," Lankford said in an interview with Kasie Hunt on MSNBC's "Kasie DC." "I don't want my kids to speak the way that he speaks, or to make some of the choices.
"I don't speak that way. I don't tweet that way. I don't interact with people that way. I don't treat my staff the same way he treats his staff.
"An individual's personal life does matter. It shows you evidence of what they're going to be like.
"We want our leaders to be role models, and I think it's a positive thing to be able to say – and I would love to be able to say to people – the people that you see on television, the people that are serving you in politics, are role models for your kids and your families."
Trump has not claimed to be a role model in his personal life, Lankford said.
"He's said he's more of a role model in business and in trying to do deal-making – I get that," Lankford told Hunt.
Lankford dismissed praise Trump delivered about North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. After Trump in April referred to Kim as "honorable," Lankford said, "I would never use the word 'honorable' to describe Kim Jong Un . . . the reason that everyone in North Korea agrees with him is because he kills anyone who disagrees with him."
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