Rep. Thomas Massey from Kentucky remarked on Monday that he isn’t too concerned about President Trump’s recent efforts to have him removed from office, supposedly stemming from Massey’s criticism of a U.S. strike against Iran. He even mentioned feeling somewhat immune to Trump’s attacks.
“In a way, I have Trump antibodies,” Massey noted during his appearance on MSNBC’s “All In with Chris Hayes.”
He mentioned that some individuals remain consistent, regardless of political affiliations, suggesting he fits that mold in this particular context.
In this latest spat, Trump has called for a movement within the Republican Party to oust Kentucky Republicans like Massey after voicing his disapproval of Congress’s order for airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities. Massey labeled this action as unconstitutional.
“Maga should drop this pathetic loser, Tom Massey, like the plague!” Trump expressed in a post on a social platform. “The good news is that there are fantastic American patriots challenging him in the Republican primary. I’m fully backing the Kentucky campaign.”
He added, “The Maga movement shouldn’t support an unproductive politician like Thomas Massey.”
Trump and Massey appear to be at odds, particularly concerning a major legislative bill that Kentucky lawmakers rejected a little while back.
Massey countered his stance by asserting his commitment to his principles.
“I lean more towards being an ideologue than a populist. If you know your ideology, it can guide your populist leanings,” he explained to Hayes. “For the past six months, there’s been concern about straying from the core idea of putting America first.”
As an engineer and inventor with libertarian leanings, Massey often showcases a digital badge that tracks U.S. federal debt in real time. He humorously mentioned on social media that he needs to adjust it to reflect the milliseconds since Trump made a recent statement.
Reports indicate that Trump’s team is considering potential challengers for Massey’s seat, where he was first elected in 2012 and is now aiming for reelection next fall.
Massey managed to secure his position with relative ease during last year’s elections, navigating around two significant challengers in Kentucky’s heavily Republican 4th Congressional District.
Additionally, GOP lawmakers experienced backlash from the Maga movement after they initially opposed Trump’s Covid-19 aid package during the pandemic early in his first term. Despite this, Trump endorsed Massey in 2022.
