Thomas Massie

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., brushed off President Donald Trump's repeated attacks against him Thursday, telling Newsmax the president privately respects him even as he backs a primary challenger ahead of next week's Republican primary in Kentucky's 4th Congressional District.

Speaking on "Finnerty," Massie acknowledged the barrage of criticism Trump has leveled against him on Truth Social, where the president has called the seven-term congressman "weak," "pathetic," and "not MAGA."

"Well, Rob, in that litany of insults, you forgot that Trump called me a moron at the prayer breakfast," he told host Rob Finnerty. "And I have to say for myself, I'm glad I'm in his prayers."

Massie said the public attacks differ from Trump's private assessment of him.

"When I talk to him privately, he calls me a sharp cookie and a tough cookie because he knows I'm tough to beat and he knows I'm smart about legislation," Massie said.

Tuesday's GOP primary pits Massie against Trump-backed challenger Ed Gallrein, a former Democrat who has accused the congressman of obstructing key Republican priorities. Trump endorsed Gallrein after years of clashes with Massie over spending bills, foreign policy, and surveillance authorities.

A recent poll showed Gallrein leading Massie by 5 percentage points, though Massie dismissed the survey as unreliable.

"That poll is full of bunk. Not a very reliable pollster," Massie said.

"If that poll were accurate, if the other side thought they were up, they wouldn't be spreading lies and running fake AI ads that show me checking into a hotel room with [Reps.] AOC [Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez] and Ilhan Omar."

Still, Massie acknowledged the race is competitive.

"My own polls do show that it's a close race, and so it's going to come down to turnout," he said.

Massie was pressed over his long history of breaking with Trump and House Republicans. He voted against Republican-backed legislation more than 70 times in 2025.

Massie defended his record, saying he supports most Republican priorities but opposes large omnibus spending packages and measures he believes violate constitutional principles.

"I vote with the party 90% of the time," Massie said. "I voted for the border. I voted for the SAVE Act. I voted for all those things you like."

But he said Congress routinely bundles unrelated provisions into massive bills.

"If they are voting, for instance, to spy on Americans without a warrant, to cover up the Epstein files, or to bankrupt this country, that's where I deviate from the party and I stick to the principles the party stands for," Massie said.

He also highlighted legislation he said benefits Kentucky farmers, including the Processing Revival and Intrastate Meat Exemption Act, which he said would make it easier for farmers to sell beef, pork, and lamb locally.

Despite Trump's endorsement of Gallrein, Massie argued he still works alongside the president on issues where they agree.

"There are a lot of things that I agree with Trump on," he said. "Let's get them done."

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