Republican Representative Thomas Massie and President Donald Trump continued to clash online after the former criticized the White House’s approach to military action in Iran.
The Kentucky representative said that Trump had “declared war” on him after he said that the strikes in Iran were unconstitutional, to which Trump responded: “GET THIS ‘BUM’ OUT OF OFFICE, ASAP!!!”
Newsweek reached out to the White House and Massie’s office for comment via email.
Why It Matters
On Saturday, Trump said that the U.S. military had attacked three nuclear sites in Iran: Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan. Massie said that Trump’s decision to strike was “unconstitutional,” as the president had not informed Congress of the military action in advance.
“A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow,” Trump wrote in his initial announcement on Truth Social. “There is not another military in the World that could have done this. NOW IS THE TIME FOR PEACE! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
What To Know
Trump responded to Massie’s criticism with an extended message on Truth Social, where he wrote: “Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky is not MAGA, even though he likes to say he is.
“Actually, MAGA doesn’t want him, doesn’t know him, and doesn’t respect him. He is a negative force who almost always Votes ‘NO,’ no matter how good something may be.”
On Sunday evening, Massie replied on X, formerly Twitter, and joked that “Trump declared so much war on me today it should require an Act of Congress,” referencing his earlier criticism.
Massie ended the message with the tag #sassywithmassie.
Trump continued the feud on Monday morning, reposting his original attack on Massie with the caption: “GET THIS ‘BUM’ OUT OF OFFICE, ASAP!!!”
Massie has been a staunch opponent of striking Iran, previously saying he would not back a move to get involved in a “regime change war” despite other Republican leaders like Lindsey Graham urging Trump to go “all in” on Iran.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump said on Truth Social on Sunday: “We had a spectacular military success yesterday, taking the ‘bomb’ right out of their hands (and they would use it if they could!) but, as usual, and despite all of the praise and accolades received, this ‘lightweight’ Congressman is against what was so brilliantly achieved last night in Iran.
“Massie is weak, ineffective, and votes NO on virtually everything put before him (Rand Paul, Jr.), no matter how good something may be. He is disrespectful to our great military, and all that they stand for, not even acknowledging their brilliance and bravery in yesterday’s attack, which was a total and complete WIN. Massie should drop his fake act and start putting America First, but he doesn’t know how to get there — he doesn’t have a clue!”
What Happens Next
The White House called for Iran to return to the negotiating table after the strike. After the attack, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that the U.S. “must receive a response for their aggression.”
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