Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) publicly defended Rep. Thomas Massie after the Kentucky Republican sparked alarm Friday with a social media post declaring, “I am not suicidal.”
Khanna’s social media response added a rare bipartisan element, as the two lawmakers have worked together to pressure the Department of Justice to release and unredact files related to Jeffrey Epstein.
“I am not worried for my physical safety, honestly,” Khanna wrote in a reply to Massie. “The truth is more nuanced. Big money tries to destroy a person's career & reputation.”
Khanna argued that the real threat facing lawmakers who challenge power is professional, not physical. “In Washington, you rise by keeping your head down and not making enemies. Massie & I are unafraid to challenge power.”
The California Democrat also referenced former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), noting that she, too, has spoken publicly about facing retaliation after breaking with party leadership, despite her staunch alignment with President Donald Trump and the MAGA movement.
Massie’s Friday post drew stunned reactions across social media, with supporters and critics alike questioning the statement by a sitting member of Congress.
I am not worried for my physical safety, honestly. The truth is more nuanced. Big money tries to destroy a person's career & reputation. They did to @mtgreenee. In Washington, you rise by keeping your head down and not making enemies.
Massie & I are unafraid to challenge power. https://t.co/zxofQ7ItpT
— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) February 14, 2026