Defiant Republican spills on private clash with Trump amid GOP calls to step aside

Rep. Max Miller (R-OH) fought for his candidacy in a private phone call with President Donald Trump on Monday, pushing back against the president's own polling that showed him losing his re-election race.

Miller, a former Trump White House aide, is fighting to survive amid domestic abuse allegations from his ex-wife.

Miller has until Wednesday to withdraw from a House race that could help decide majority control, according to the Ohio Secretary of State's office.

Trump told Miller "things aren't looking good" and repeatedly warned that re-election would be tough, three sources told Axios.

"He said he had a poll with no detail, and I pushed back with our poll that has us winning by 9 with our message out there," Miller told the Wall Street Journal.

"He kept on reiterating it's going to be tough, and it's going to be a really hard one for you," Miller said, referring to Trump.

Miller nonetheless claimed Trump "was supportive of me over the phone." Publicly, Trump sidestepped when reporters pressed him Monday in the Oval Office.

"I know Max, he's a good person. … And I'm going to let the families figure that out," Trump said, calling the abuse allegations "accusations."

The allegations driving the crisis came from Miller's ex-wife, Emily Moreno — the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH). Police reports obtained by ABC News showed she told officers Miller threw hot water on her, held a gun to her head, and threw her against a wall.

Their toddler daughter's broken collarbone was also investigated by police in February 2026, according to police reports.

Miller denied the allegations, filed a defamation suit against his ex-wife in May, and was never charged.

Sen. Bernie Moreno, Miller's former father-in-law, wrote on X after the livestream that Miller "should not serve in the House" and called him "a danger to my daughter."

By Monday, more Senate Republicans had joined the call to push Miller out, Politico reported.

"He should resign. He should quit," said Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS).

"You shouldn't be in office, and everyone should be held accountable," added Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL).

The seat Miller is fighting to hold could help tip House control — Democrats need just three net gains for a majority, Republicans no more than two, according to Ballotpedia.

Trump carried the district by 11 points in 2024. Miller won his last race with just 51%.

It was Trump who first put Miller in Congress, encouraging him to challenge Rep. Anthony Gonzalez (R-OH) after Gonzalez voted to impeach Trump for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, the Wall Street Journal reported.