President Donald Trump went off on Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp this week, which is generally unheard of in the Republican Party. Trump was telling governors to "liberate" their states on Twitter as protesters stormed the state capitols demanding their hair cuts were more important than the lives of others in the community.
According to Axios, Kemp was a little more aggressive than Trump wanted him to be in reopening his state. In phone calls with Kemp, Trump gave support, so Kemp assumed that Trump was supportive of the plan.
"But in a Tuesday phone call, Trump told Kemp he disagreed with those moves and thought he was going too fast on some of those communal businesses," Axios reported.
Sources then told Axios that there was more to the story than a small disagreement about the reopening.
"You've got to understand, Trump feels he made Brian Kemp, and he's right," the source said. "Kemp would not be governor without Trump. Would it hurt him to be a little bit grateful and to take his advice once in a while?"
"Governor Kemp is grateful for President Trump's leadership in the fight against COVID-19 and values his insight as our state takes measured steps forward that will protect the lives — and livelihoods — of all Georgians," Kemp's spokesperson said in a statement.
Trump is "irritated" by Kemp, according to the sources, noting he was still miffed that Kemp didn't appoint Rep. Doug Collins (R-GA) to the senate seat and handed it to Kelly Loeffler instead. Loeffler is now under investigation for $18 million in questionable stock sales before the coronavirus outbreak.
"Trump has paid close attention to Loeffler's weak polling numbers (an internal poll from the Collins campaign showed Collins with more than twice as much support as Loeffler)," said Axios. "Sources close to Trump doubt he'll endorse Loeffler in her race against Collins, even though Senate Republican leadership backs her. But Trump hasn’t decided yet."
