President Trump had himself a moment on Friday, and he certainly didn’t hold back when talking about Rep. Thomas Massie’s brand new marriage. In classic Trump fashion, he tossed out a few rhetorical grenades and walked away with that familiar mix of humor and irritation that always seems to surface when he’s dealing with Republicans who spend more time voting against their own party than helping it move forward. Massie has made a career out of being the guy who stands up just to say no, so it really shouldn’t shock anyone that Trump took the opportunity to poke him about it.
Trump’s comments landed right on cue. He joked about Massie being called Rand Paul Jr., a nickname that fits a bit too well given the voting record, then tossed in a jab about the congressman’s odds in the upcoming election. Less than an eight percent chance is not exactly the kind of number you frame and hang on the wall. And Trump, keeping his usual rhythm, followed it up by suggesting that Massie’s new wife might eventually realize she married someone who just can’t get out of his own way politically. That’s the type of bluntness people either love or pretend to be outraged about.
The broader context here isn’t exactly a mystery. Trump and Massie have been butting heads for years. Massie made himself famous among certain crowds for opposing Trump’s agenda during the first term, and he hasn’t mellowed since. His recent objections to Trump’s budget ideas and his Middle East policies only added fuel to a fire that was already burning hot. Then came the Epstein file issue, where Massie positioned himself front and center in a way that rubbed plenty of people raw inside the party.
At this point, Trump is openly backing Ed Gallrein to challenge Massie in the primary. That alone tells you how far the relationship has deteriorated. Massie, meanwhile, is trying to put on a fresh face for voters by sharing news of his marriage to Carolyn Moffa. The story of how they met, her background with Senator Rand Paul, and their life plans on the Kentucky farm all make for a heartfelt narrative and a respectable attempt at showing stability after the loss of his first wife. No one faults him for wanting a new chapter.
Still, politics is politics, and timing is everything. Massie is stepping into campaign season with a voting record that frustrates many conservatives, a primary opponent with Trump’s blessing, and now public commentary from the former president himself that puts even more attention on the race. Whether Massie can overcome that or whether Trump’s instincts about voters being tired of contrarian theatrics prove right is something we’ll see soon enough.
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