President Trump’s menace to again a major challenger towards Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) is simply the newest boiling level of their hot-and-cold relationship — and the Kentuckian is dismissing the assaults.
“It’s temporary,” the Kentuckian advised me after Trump threatened to finish his political profession over Massie’s “no” vote on a six-month persevering with decision, backed by the president, that may maintain the federal government open via September.
Massie was the one Home Republican to vote towards the laws, which he argued doesn’t arrange Congress to make lasting cuts to authorities spending.
The libertarian congressman sees Trump’s public assaults as a tactic to “keep other people in line.”
The Home GOP, in spite of everything, has a razor-thin majority and nearly no room for error.
“Probably somebody had a strategy that said, ‘We can’t let any more horses out of the barn, so let’s whack Massie and then the other horses will stay in the barn,'” Massie said. “Because nobody expected that to change me, right? What am I gonna say? ‘Oh, I was so misguided for the last 12 years. I misdirected all of my efforts into fiscal conservatism.’”
Massie’s “no” vote was hardly a shock to Trump or different Republicans in Congress.
Massie is commonly the only real GOP lawmaker voting towards numerous measures. He was additionally the lone GOP vote towards a price range decision framework for Trump’s formidable legislative agenda. His downside on that measure was that it didn’t minimize spending sufficient.
A lot of Republicans are privately livid that Trump is making an attempt to make an instance out of Massie after they noticed him as merely standing on precept.
“I think it’s a bunch of noise and distraction,” one member advised me of the threats, shaking their head after I requested if Trump’s techniques could be efficient in scaring Republicans from defecting.
Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio), who additionally has libertarian streak, mentioned he was “shocked” by Trump’s major menace.
“They have a love-hate relationship. I mean, the reality is a lot of the same people … love them both,” Davidson mentioned. “I think Donald Trump doesn’t like not getting his way.”
Massie, although, mentioned he thinks he and Trump can simply patch issues up.
In any case, they’ve had a whole lot of fights earlier than and have usually made up.
Let’s simply take a look at the final a number of years:
March 2020: Massie tried to drive a roll name vote on the CARES Act coronavirus stimulus invoice. That pressured lawmakers to scramble to get again to Washington to keep away from a delay in passing the laws. Trump was livid. He known as Massie thrice; Massie let it go to voicemail. Lastly, Massie took Trump’s name within the Speaker’s foyer. The president publicly known as for Massie to be thrown out of the Republican Celebration.
June 2020: Massie simply defeated a 2020 major challenger in Todd McMurtry, who initially drew help from then-Home GOP convention Chair Liz Cheney (Wyo.) and different national-security centered Republicans, however misplaced that help after previous racist social media materials got here to mild. Trump and Massie didn’t communicate for greater than two years, till…
August 2022: Trump — apparently having forgiven Massie — endorsed the Kentucky congressman forward of his major, calling him “a first-rate Defender of the Constitution.”
April 2023: Issues soured once more when Massie endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) within the presidential major.
March 2024: Massie blasted Trump for “ridiculous bullying tactics” after the presidential nominee known as for a major challenger to Rep. Laurel Lee (R-Fla.), who had additionally endorsed DeSantis however promptly endorsed Trump after the Florida governor ended his presidential marketing campaign.
October 2024: Massie gave his “full endorsement” to Trump within the days main into the election, noting that he dedicated to liberating Silk Highway founder Ross Ulbricht (a promise Trump made good on in January).
November 2024: Massie mentioned he’s “ready and willing” to simply accept a task regarding agriculture in President-elect Trump’s administration, however shot down rumors he could be Agriculture secretary.
Massie advised me that issues had been good with Trump in current months: “My last three phone calls with him have been great.” That final name took place two weeks after the election.
Whereas Massie has lengthy been identified to make main unpopular strikes as a result of his convictions, it’s unimaginable to see his newest beef with Trump with out pondering of the key shock to his private life: His spouse of 31 years and highschool sweetheart died all of a sudden final 12 months. “If they thought I had no F’s to give before, I definitely have no F’s to give now,” Massie advised The Wall Avenue Journal a number of months in the past.
Massie had additionally received some public help from different conservatives at a time when few need to say something destructive about Trump.
Commentator Matt Walsh, as an example, known as the notion of ousting Massie “asinine,” including he’s “by far and away one of our best congressmen.”
Additional studying: Trump desires to finish this GOP maverick’s political profession. He’s not too frightened, by way of Ben Jacobs at Politico.
I’m Emily Brooks, Home reporter at The Hill, right here with a weekly take a look at the broader right-wing ecosystem, influences and debates in Washington, D.C. Let me know what you’re about to launch, what’s in your calendar, and who’s making strikes: ebrooks@thehill.com
THE START OF A SHIFT ON ISRAEL AID? A brand new Heritage Basis report launched Wednesday is proposing that the U.S. wind down army support to Israel as a part of a technique to “re-orient its relationship” with the nation over the subsequent twenty years.
You learn that proper. That proposal comes from the Heritage Basis.
It’s a notable stance for the outstanding conservative assume tank given the lengthy and deep help for Israel amongst conservatives and Republicans.
And launch of the report was accompanied by some drama: Israeli Ambassador to the USA Yechiel Leiter canceled a scheduled look at a Heritage Basis occasion scheduled to advertise the brand new report, as first reported by Jewish Insider.
A spokesperson for the Israeli Embassy mentioned it “greatly values” its “working relationship and friendship” with the Heritage Basis, attributing the cancellation to a “miscommunication regarding the format for the event.”
And a Heritage spokesperson fired again on the Jewish Insider story in an announcement to me:
“The report set to be unveiled at the event was grossly misrepresented as a hostile attempt to chop aid, by people who prefer to see Israel weak, vulnerable, and forever dependent on the United States. Heritage stands by its work as the report underscores the urgent need to strengthen and elevate bilateral ties between the U.S. and Israel.”
READ MORE: My colleague Laura Kelly and I wrote in regards to the Heritage report right here.
ON MY CALENDAR NEXT WEEK: Breitbart Information is internet hosting a coverage occasion subsequent Wednesday with Inside Secretary Doug Burgum, partnering with CGCN and the ALFA Institute (the group launched by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy).
THREE MORE THINGS…
Residents for Sanity, a nonprofit advocacy group with ties to the Stephen Miller-founded America First Authorized, has a brand new digital advert marketing campaign praising the bureaucracy-slashing efforts of the Division of Authorities Effectivity (DOGE). I’m advised the digital advert purchase is within the excessive five-figure vary. Context: Elon Musk reportedly gave the group $50 million forward of the 2022 midterms.
One advert lists various the vilified packages funded by the U.S. Company for Worldwide Growth (USAID) like “DEI in Serbia,” contrasting the funding totals with these allotted by the Federal Emergency Administration Company for North Carolina flood restoration efforts. One other one spoofs best hit album advertisements whereas itemizing USAID grants. They each finish with the tagline: “Stop the insanity. Support DOGE.”
Steve Bannon was the newest visitor on California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s new podcast. Reasonably than sparring or getting deep, the brisk dialog was largely simply Bannon sharing his perspective on information of the day and the Trump agenda, as he does on “War Room.” The governor discovered some frequent floor with Bannon on taxing firms and mentioned he appreciates the MAGA chief for sharing his perspective — which, after listening to his first three podcasts, appears to be his favourite phrase when speaking to ideological opponents. Write-up in NYT…
Amaryllis Fox Kennedy, the daughter-in-law of Well being and Human Providers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., is a former CIA officer — and now, the affiliate director for intelligence and worldwide affairs on the Workplace of Administration and Finances within the Trump administration. Trump wished the now-CIA skeptic to function the company’s deputy director, however GOP lawmakers intervened. Philip Wegmann profiles AFK at RealClearPolitics.
Thanks for studying. Please let me know what you assume: ebrooks@thehill.com.
