Trump ‘delights in tormenting Republicans’ — because he knows he’s more powerful than they are: report

A new book details one of President Donald Trump's favorite things to do is take jabs at his own party members in the GOP.

Axios published an excerpt of Tim Alberta's new book "American Carnage," due out this week, calling it "engrossing" and filled with deeply researched details.

As progressives are pointing to the inaction by elected Republicans in wake of the president's latest racist attack, Axios explained this can explain some of the silence.

"Not everyone was lucky enough to land Trump's support," the book says, specifically citing Republican Congresswoman Diane Black who was running in the primary for the Tennessee gubernatorial race.

"During a meeting with several House Republicans ... she pulled the president aside. 'You really need to endorse me,' she told him, stabbing a finger at his chest. Trump found her rude and presumptuous," the book continued. "'She got in my personal space,' he told aides afterward. 'Big mistake.' ....The White House political director Bill Stepien ... asked an intern to aggregate a full record of everything Black had ever said about Trump, good and bad. The list was printed out and carried over to the Oval Office."

"Trump scanned the document, picking out the negative remarks, then pulled out a Sharpie. 'Diane,' he wrote. 'This is NOT good!' He furiously underlined the word 'NOT,' then asked Stepien to hand-deliver the document to Black," the excerpt concluded.

The same happened with Minnesota Congressman Erik Paulsen. In that case, Trump endorsed Paulsen out of "punishment."

Read the full excerpts at Axios.