Rep. Thomas Massie (R‑Ky.), a prominent libertarian and sometimes lone GOP dissenter in the House of Representatives, reacted strongly to President Donald Trump’s vow to recruit and back a challenger in the 2026 Republican primary, saying that the president's move will cost Republicans the House majority.
"They are wasting millions of dollars against me, and they are gonna lose the [House] majority because of that," he told reporter Sahil Kapur outside Capitol Hill Tuesday.
Massie claimed that Trump and his aides are spending $1.8 million in his congressional district to challenge him but that it is having "very little effect."
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He continued: "They are trying to beat up on me to keep everybody else in line here. And I think it's not working," saying that Trump's move will "backfire tremendously."
"I think what's gonna happen this will be a referendum on whether the executive branch controls the legislative branch. And I'm gonna prevail."
On Monday, Trump intensified his clash with Massie, calling him "the worst Republican Congressman." His remarks came after the Kentucky Republican urged the administration to make the full Jeffrey Epstein documents public.
“Thomas Massie, the worst Republican Congressman, and an almost guaranteed NO VOTE each and every time, is an Embarrassment to Kentucky. He’s lazy, slow moving, and totally disingenuous - A real loser! Never has anything positive to add. Looking for someone good to run against this guy, someone I can Endorse and vigorously campaign for!” the president wrote on his Truth Social platform Monday.
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The president has been vocal in attacking anyone pushing for the documents, insisting he wants to distance himself from the convicted pedophile.
This is not the first time Trump has rebuked Massie.
In a post on Truth Social in March, Trump called Massie “an automatic ‘NO’ vote on just about everything,” likening him to Liz Cheney and announcing plans to “lead the charge” to “PRIMARY” him.