On Sunday, President Donald Trump announced he would actively support a primary challenger against Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) in the 2026 midterm elections. The move comes after Massie criticized Trump’s recent military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling them “unconstitutional” and blaming House Speaker Mike Johnson for not recalling Congress for a vote. In a Truth Social post, Trump slammed Massie as disloyal to the MAGA movement and accused him of consistently opposing beneficial legislation, including the administration-backed “Big Beautiful Bill” focused on border security, tax reform, and welfare overhaul. Trump portrayed Massie as an obstructionist whose resistance could lead to severe consequences like major tax hikes.

To unseat Massie, Trump’s team has launched a political action committee named Kentucky MAGA, managed by former campaign insiders Chris LaCivita and Tony Fabrizio. The PAC has vowed to spend “whatever it takes” to defeat Massie, who has served in Congress since 2012 and weathered previous primary challenges. Although Trump’s team was reportedly preparing to target Massie even before his Iran comments, the lawmaker’s vocal opposition accelerated the effort. An internal poll by Trump pollster John McLaughlin shows 52% of respondents would support a Trump-endorsed challenger, while only 23% favor Massie. Trump’s allies argue this signals Massie’s vulnerability and signals a clear push to align Republican ranks more closely with Trump’s agenda ahead of 2026.