'Back off': GOP lawmakers stand up for Thomas Massie after Trump threatens to kick him out of the party

President Donald Trump angrily attacked Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) on Friday after the GOP lawmaker forced the House of Representatives to reconvene to have a full vote on the $2 trillion COVID-19 relief package that passed the Senate this week.

In a tweet earlier in the morning, Trump called Massie a "third-rate grandstander" and encouraged the GOP to kick him out of the party.

However, two of Massie's Republican colleagues stood up for the Kentucky congressman and said that he didn't deserve to become a pariah just for holding up quick passage of the bill.

"Mr. President, Rep. Thomas Massie is a good man and a solid conservative," wrote Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ). "He believes in the Constitution strongly. We won’t always agree on strategy or policy. But he doesn’t warrant this dressing down. Thomas -- Hang tough brother."

Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) was even stronger in his condemnation of the president's attacks on Massie.

"Rep. Thomas Massie is one of the most principled men in Congress and loves his country," Roy wrote. "He is defending the Constitution today by requiring a quorum. There’s nothing 3rd rate about that... I may miss vote if he forces roll call (flights) but it will pass. Back off."