Two key advisers to former President Donald Trump, Chris LaCivita and Tony Fabrizio, are forming a super PAC aimed at unseating Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican known for opposing Trump’s policies. Massie’s criticisms have been particularly vocal regarding Trump’s recent decision to strike Iranian nuclear facilities, which led him to assert that such actions are unconstitutional. Despite Trump’s past endorsement in 2022, the two have had a tense relationship, with Trump previously expressing a desire to remove Massie from the GOP due to his libertarian stance.
Massie has consistently challenged Trump’s initiatives, including a recent war powers resolution he introduced with Rep. Ro Khanna that seeks to prevent U.S. involvement in Iran. In response to Trump’s military actions, Massie took to social media to label them unconstitutional and criticized calls for regime change in Iran.
Trump retaliated by disparaging Massie on his platform Truth Social, stripping him of the “MAGA” label and calling him ineffective. He expressed confidence that a competitive Republican candidate, Niki Lee Ethington, who is a newcomer to public office, would emerge in the primary race.
Massie responded to Trump’s attacks with a fundraising appeal, reinforcing his stance against military intervention in foreign conflicts. The broader context reflects Trump’s history of targeting establishment Republicans who opposed him, with past efforts resulting in significant losses for those he actively sought to challenge in primaries, particularly after the events of January 6, 2021. The situation illustrates the continuing rift within the Republican party between Trump loyalists and more traditional conservative figures like Massie.
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