President Trump’s political team has launched a focused campaign to unseat Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie, marking the first time they’ve tried to remove a sitting Republican. The move signals that Trump’s allies are prepared to go after members of the GOP who break ranks with him.
Massie has drawn Trump’s ire recently by criticizing the president’s strike on Iran, calling it unconstitutional. In response, Trump publicly denounced Massie on social media, labeling him “not MAGA,” and accusing him of being weak, ineffective, and disrespectful toward the military. Massie also voted against a key legislative package backed by Trump, which the former president described as the “big beautiful bill,” and said Massie should be removed from office.
Trump’s political operation, which includes a $500 million war chest, is leveraging its resources to put pressure on dissenting Republicans. The effort includes the creation of “Kentucky MAGA,” a super PAC dedicated to defeating Massie in the 2026 primary. The PAC is being led by senior Trump advisers Tony Fabrizio and Chris LaCivita, with LaCivita stating they are prepared to spend whatever it takes to win.
Plans to target Massie reportedly began even before his criticism of the Iran strike. Trump’s team has already started talking with potential primary challengers and is working to consolidate support around one viable candidate to avoid splitting the anti-Massie vote.
A recent internal poll conducted by Trump pollster John McLaughlin shows that Massie may be vulnerable. According to the results, 52 percent of respondents in his district would support a Trump-endorsed challenger, while only 23 percent back Massie. The poll also found that Trump has an 87 percent approval rating in the district compared to 52 percent for Massie. Additionally, 74 percent of respondents expressed support for the legislative package Massie opposed.
Despite these numbers, Massie’s team remains confident. He has easily survived primary contests in the past and maintains strong support for his independent, libertarian-leaning approach. His advisers argue that this stance resonates with voters who value authenticity over party conformity.
In response to the campaign against him, Massie dismissed the effort, saying anyone seriously considering running should invest in their own polling before getting involved with political consultants. The rift between Massie and Trump is not new. During Trump’s first term, Massie opposed the COVID relief package and faced Trump’s wrath. He was also one of only six House Republicans to support Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in the 2024 primary. Most recently, after Massie opposed another Trump-backed spending bill, Trump labeled him a “GRANDSTANDER.”