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Perry Waves Off Reporter Who Reminds Him He Called Trump a 'Cancer on Conservatism'

June 27, 2017

Secretary of Energy Rick Perry was reminded he once called Donald Trump a "cancer on conservatism" during a White House press briefing on Tuesday, but he waved off the question for having "nothing to do with energy."

NBC reporter Peter Alexander brought up the remarks that Perry, then a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, made in July of 2015, shortly after Trump launched his bid for the White House.

"Since you get behind the scenes in ways that we don't, during the campaign you famously said of candidate Trump that his candidacy was a cancer on conservatism," Alexander said.

"That has nothing to do with energy today," Perry said, leaning forward on the podium and waving his hand at the reporter.

"But he's been here for six months," Alexander said as Perry looked to another reporter for a question. "Mr. Secretary, what do you make of it? You get to see him in in person. What do you make of his conservatism? It's a simple question."

Perry paid him no heed, however.

The former governor of Texas emerged as one of Trump's strongest critics shortly after the billionaire announced he was seeking the GOP nomination in 2015. However, Perry was the first in the large field of Republicans to drop out of the race, and he ultimately endorsed Trump once it was clear he would get the nomination.