Trump says GOP Rep. Thomas Massie ‘SHOULD BE PRIMARIED’ for opposing measure to avert government shutdown
New York PostMAR 12
Trump Calls for Massie's Ouster Over Spending Bill Opposition
Above: US Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) (left) attends the inauguration of then-Pres.-elect Donald Trump in the Rotunda of the US Capitol on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, DC. Image copyright: Kevin Dietsch/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
Trump is right to call out Massie’s grandstanding. Massie's "no" vote on a fiscally prudent CR risks a shutdown, undermining the GOP's thin majority and Trump's much-needed DOGE agenda to cut waste. He has a pattern of doing this, such as opposing Johnson's speakership and Uyghur protections, which shows he craves attention, not solutions. He's not only hurting his party and its America First goals but the entire country.
Democratic narrative
The MAGA GOP is imploding over a fiscally reckless $1.7T spending bill that barely cuts non-military spending while boosting military spending, giving Trump a blank check to slash priorities like fentanyl prevention. Massie’s defiance of Trump's unity plea exposes deep intraparty cracks. With Democrats united in opposition and Trump VP Vance scrambling for votes, the GOP's chaos signals a party that is crumbling, not governing.
Conservative narrative
Thomas Massie stands alone as one of the only true Republicans in modern American history, embodying the American values of limited government and fiscal restraint. His defiance of Trump’s bloated $1.7T spending bill and refusal to bow to Israel's influence highlight a GOP lost to corporate and foreign interests. While Trump pushes for fake unity on this terrible funding bill, Massie's principled "no" vote resists the party's drift from its roots.