DISCLAIMER: This article was first published on October 19, 2025
President Donald Trump has never been shy about publicly insulting members of Congress — even those in his own party — though it’s rare for him to actually call for their removal from office.
But the president did just that on Friday, with a Truth Social post in which he called for Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), a Republican who’s frequently bucked Trump in a way few Republicans these days do, to be “thrown out of office, ASAP.”
“Third-rate Congressman Thomas Massie, a Weak and Pathetic RINO from the Great Commonwealth of Kentucky, a place I love, and won big SIX TIMES, must be thrown out of office, ASAP!,” Trump said on Truth Social.
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Trump stated this while endorsing another Republican, Captain Ed Gallrein, in Massie’s district. And while Trump often endorses primary challengers, he rarely has done so for people like Gallrein who have not yet entered the race.
“The incredible people of Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District gave us a mandate to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and the person that will help us do that is Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Fifth Generation Kentucky Farmer, Captain Ed Gallrein, a true America First Patriot,” Trump wrote on Truth Social, over a picture of Gallrein visiting Trump in the Oval Office, where the two men both held up MAGA hats.
“I hope Ed gets into the Race against Massie, who is now polling at about 9% because the Great People of Kentucky are wise to him — He only votes against the Republican Party, making life very easy for the Radical Left,” Trump added. “Unlike “lightweight” Massie, a totally ineffective LOSER who has failed us so badly, CAPTAIN ED GALLREIN IS A WINNER WHO WILL NOT LET YOU DOWN. Should he decide to challenge Massie, Captain Ed Gallrein has my Complete and Total Endorsement. RUN, ED, RUN — MAGA!”
Massie responded to the post, per Newsweek, noting that Gallrein lost his last race, for a state legislative seat.
Trying something new:
Join my nationwide voting group to release the Epstein files: https://t.co/JEM8wbsTS7
I co-led the bipartisan bill to release the files. Now let’s make Congress act.
When you commit to vote together you can influence anyone who wants your votes.
Join me. pic.twitter.com/XLjcFfIOKE
— Thomas Massie for Congress (@MassieforKY) October 17, 2025
“After having been rejected by every elected official in the 4th District, Trump’s consultants clearly pushed the panic button with their choice of failed candidate and establishment hack Ed Gallrein,” Massie told Politico. “Ed’s been begging them to pick him for over three months now.”
Another issues in which he has often bucked Trump, Massie has pursued a discharge petition that could lead to the release of the government’s Jeffrey Epstein files.
Photo courtesy of the Political Tribune media library.
