President Donald Trump called for Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) to be "thrown out of office" on Sunday in a Truth Social post endorsing Massie's primary challenger.
Trump has sought to remake the Republican Party in his image during his second term in office by supporting candidates who run against Republicans who have challenged the president. For instance, Trump endorsed four candidates in Indiana's state primary race who won elections to replace Republicans who voted against Trump's redistricting push. Trump also supported Sen. Bill Cassidy's (R-LA) primary challenger because Cassidy voted to convict Trump during one of his impeachment hearings in his first administration.
Trump escalated that fight on Sunday as he called for Massie, who has voted to support numerous Trump policies, to be removed from Congress.
Massie has also voted against Trump on several key issues. The most prominent of which was his support for the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a piece of legislation that forced Trump's Department of Justice to publicly release many of the Epstein files. Massie has also supported survivors of Epstein's crimes as they seek justice.
"Third Rate Congressman Thomas Massie, a Weak and Pathetic RINO from the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky, a place I love, and won big SIX TIMES, including all Primaries, must be thrown out of office, ASAP!" Trump wrote in the post. "He is the Worst “Republican” Congressman in History, voting against Tax Cuts, the Wall, Law Enforcement, and in favor of the Transgender Mutilization of our Children, Men playing in Women’s Sports, and so many more horrible things."
Trump also used the attack to endorse Massie's primary challenger, a Navy veteran named Ed Gallrein.
"The incredible people of Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District gave us a mandate to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and the person that will help us do that is Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Fifth Generation Kentucky Farmer, Captain Ed Gallrein, a true America First Patriot," Trump added.