The Trump-Massie feud goes to a brand new degree: From the Politics Desk
Welcome to the web model of From the Politics Desk, a night publication that brings you the NBC Information Politics workforce’s newest reporting and evaluation from the White Home, Capitol Hill and the marketing campaign path.
In as we speak’s version, Scott Bland dives into President Donald Trump’s escalating assaults on Rep. Thomas Massie, a Republican lawmaker who has confirmed to be a constant thorn in his facet. Plus, now we have the most recent from the Center East as Trump declares a ceasefire settlement between Israel and Iran.
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— Adam Wollner
Trump takes his feud with GOP Rep. Thomas Massie to a brand new degree
By Scott Bland
Rep. Thomas Massie has been an intraparty irritant to Donald Trump for years, however by no means to the purpose that the president determined to truly attempt to squash the Kentucky Republican in a main. Till now.
Two of Trump’s high political advisers are launching an excellent PAC devoted to opposing Massie in his 2026 main, after Massie’s criticism of the Trump-ordered U.S. strikes in Iran this weekend. Trump and Massie have additionally been buying and selling barbs on social media over the previous 48 hours, with Trump posting on Fact Social, “GET THIS “BUM” OUT OF OFFICE, ASAP!!!,” and Massie saying on X that the president’s actions are usually not “American First.”
However the formation of the brand new political group is a step additional than Trump has ever gone regardless of previous annoyance with Massie, usually a lonely, libertarian-inspired “no” vote even when a lot of the Home GOP is supporting one thing — like final month’s vote to advance Trump’s tax and spending package deal.
It’s set to be considered one of subsequent yr’s early checks of Trump’s grip on the Republican Occasion, the facility of the political struggle chest he continues to build up regardless of being term-limited, and the power of remaining holdouts in opposition to his top-down model of the GOP to keep up any traction domestically.
Earlier than this election cycle, Massie had courted Trump’s ire on a number of different high-profile events, together with an early Covid aid effort in 2020, when Trump referred to as him a “third fee Grandstander” on social media.
Massie was considered one of a handful of Home Republicans who endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for president over Trump within the 2024 main, too. As soon as once more, Trump’s anger over that stopped wanting an precise endorsement for a main opponent.
Now, although, it appears that evidently the president’s annoyance goes to return down on Massie alongside along with his cash and perhaps even that highly effective endorsement, if Staff Trump can discover a credible challenger this time round. Massie is utilizing Trump’s opposition as a fundraising alternative of his personal, nevertheless it’s not going to measure as much as no matter Trump can air-drop into Kentucky in opposition to him.
As Jonathan Allen factors out, Trump has focused Republican incumbents in primaries earlier than. Most notably, within the 2022 election cycle he sought to unseat GOP lawmakers who voted to question him after the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. Finally, eight of the ten Home Republicans misplaced their primaries or declined to hunt re-election.
And final yr, Trump backed John McGuire’s profitable main problem to Virginia’s Bob Good, who was the chair of the Home Freedom Caucus on the time.
Trump declares ceasefire settlement between Israel and Iran
President Donald Trump introduced on Fact Social this night that Israel and Iran had agreed to a ceasefire.
“CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been absolutely agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there might be a Full and Complete CEASEFIRE (in roughly 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and accomplished their in progress, last missions!), for 12 hours, at which level the Warfare might be thought-about, ENDED!,” Trump wrote.
The announcement got here hours after Iran launched a missile strike in opposition to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which stations 1000’s of U.S. troops, in retaliation for the U.S. bombing its nuclear websites over the weekend.
Trump had mentioned that no Individuals have been harmed and that “hardly any harm was accomplished.” He added that Iran gave “early discover” of the assault.
Compensate for our newest reporting on the battle within the Center East:
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🗞️ As we speak’s different high tales
- ⚖️ SCOTUS watch: The Supreme Court docket made it simpler for the Trump administration to deport convicted criminals to “third nations” to which they haven’t any earlier connection. Learn extra →
- ⚖️ SCOTUS watch, cont.: The court docket additionally agreed to take up a spiritual declare by a Rastafarian whose dreadlocks have been reduce by jail officers in Louisiana. Learn extra →
- 📊 Survey says: As Senate Republican leaders hope to start voting on Trump’s “large, stunning invoice” this week, a raft of latest polling reveals the get together is shedding the battle of public opinion on the laws. Learn extra →
- 🚫 Extra on the BBB: Senate Democrats pressured the elimination of a provision from the invoice that sought to limit the facility of courts to dam federal authorities insurance policies with injunctions or restraining orders. Learn extra →
- 🪧 In his personal phrases: Mahmoud Khalil, lately launched from immigration custody, described the situations of his detention and decried the “hypocrisy” of Columbia College, the place he was a graduate scholar. Learn extra →
- ☑️ If it’s Tuesday: Democrats are set to decide on a brand new rating member tomorrow for the Home Oversight Committee in a four-way inside election that has damaged down alongside generational traces. Learn extra →
- 👀 This city ain’t large enough: Rahm Emanuel, the previous Chicago mayor and White Home chief of workers, informed NBC Information that the prospect of taking up Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker in a 2028 presidential run “goes to be awkward.” Learn extra →
- 🗳️ Extra choices, extra obstacles: A overview of poll data from over 150 elections reveals that rejected ballots are extra frequent in ranked-choice elections. Learn extra →
That’s all From the Politics Desk for now. As we speak’s publication was compiled by Adam Wollner and Dylan Ebs.
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