Trump's Personal Attack on Grieving Congressman Divides Base
Former President Donald Trump has sparked a significant backlash from within his own MAGA movement after publicly mocking Republican Representative Thomas Massie for remarrying following the tragic death of his first wife. The incident has exposed rare divisions among Trump's most faithful supporters, with several high-profile figures condemning the attack.
The Controversial Social Media Post
The controversy erupted on Friday when Trump took to his Truth Social platform to comment on news that the Kentucky Republican had remarried. Massie had announced on 3 November that he wed Carolyn Moffa the previous month. His first wife, Rhonda, with whom he had spent 31 years, died suddenly in June 2024.
In his post, Trump referred to Massie as 'Rand Paul Jr.' and questioned the speed of the remarriage. 'Did Thomas Massie, sometimes referred to as Rand Paul Jr., because of the fact that he always votes against the Republican Party, get married already??? Boy, that was quick!' Trump wrote.
He went further, predicting electoral failure for the congressman and insulting his new wife's judgement. 'No wonder the Polls have him at less than an 8% chance of winning the Election,' Trump continued. 'Anyway, have a great life Thomas and (?). His wife will soon find out that she’s stuck with a LOSER!' Carolyn Moffa is a former policy staffer for Senator Rand Paul, whom Massie met a decade ago.
MAGA Faithful Break Ranks in Unprecedented Criticism
The personal nature of the attack proved a step too far for many who have consistently supported Trump. Jenna Ellis, a former attorney for Trump who was involved in challenging the 2020 election results, publicly denounced the remarks.
'I know personally from my friendship of more a decade with Massie how incredibly difficult it was to find himself suddenly a widower and losing his best friend,' Ellis stated on X. She accused Trump of 'political mud-slinging' and asserted that 'some things are still sacred and should still be beyond this kind of political mud-slinging.'
Right-wing commentator Evan Kilgore described Trump's post as 'disgusting' and declared that 'Donald Trump has lost me.' Meanwhile, conservative commentator Rebekah Worsham sarcastically remarked 'How presidential' in her criticism, which reached her substantial following of over 100,000 people.
Other accounts aligned with the 'America First' movement echoed the sentiment, with one calling the attack 'so low' and another labelling it 'very nasty.' Some commentators directly linked Trump's hostility to Massie's political actions, specifically his alliance with Democrats in calling for the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. This ongoing policy disagreement has been a source of tension between Trump and the Kentucky representative for years, dating back to Trump's failed attempt to oust Massie from the GOP in 2020.
