Allies of President Donald Trump are urging him to push embattled Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) out of his reelection race over domestic abuse allegations — even as Trump tells reporters he'll just "let the families figure that out."
On Monday, Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) became the latest Trump ally to call on Miller to forfeit his seat. Republicans ranging from Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH) to several GOP strategists who have worked for Trump have also called on Miller to resign.
"You shouldn't be in office," Scott told Pablo Manríquez of MeidasTouch.
Behind closed doors, four sources familiar with the matter told CNN that top House Republicans have been calling White House officials directly, hoping Trump will convince Miller to drop out before Tuesday's ballot deadline. Per one source, Trump has privately told allies he doesn't believe Miller can actually win the race given the mounting accusations.
Publicly, though, Trump is staying noncommittal, simply saying, "I'm going to let the families figure that out."
Miller's ex-wife, Emily Moreno, has accused him in police interviews and court filings of holding a gun to her head and breaking their toddler daughter's collarbone, though no charges were ultimately filed. Miller has denied every allegation, calling the gun incident false and insisting his firearms stay locked in a safe.
Over the weekend, Miller's own former father-in-law, Ohio Sen. Bernie Moreno, finally broke his silence and condemned Miller in a lengthy post to X, saying that he "should not serve" in Congress. Miller fired back, accusing him of only speaking out now to distract from his own controversies. He also posted a packet of court and police records that named his young daughter and included his ex-wife's home address, drawing further backlash.
Under Ohio's ballot laws, if Miller withdraws by Tuesday, the state holds a special primary to replace him; after that, GOP leaders get a narrow window through August 10 to pick a replacement themselves.
Trump carried Miller's exurban Cleveland-area district by 11 points in 2024, but Democrats are now eyeing the seat as vulnerable — leaving Republicans racing against the clock to decide whether Miller stays on the ballot at all.