Trump calls Thomas Massie a ‘loser’ in speech pushing Kentucky primary rival
President Donald Trump traveled to northern Kentucky on Wednesday to campaign against Republican Rep. Thomas Massie in his own district. The visit placed the president directly in the middle of a Republican primary fight he has been working to shape for months.
Speaking at a logistics and packaging company in Hebron, Trump attacked the six-term congressman and urged voters in Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District to replace him in the Republican primary.
“I could give him the best things in the history of a Republican voter, and he’d vote no,” Trump said during a speech that lasted more than an hour. “There’s something wrong with him.”
The president also referred to Massie as a “loser,” a “disaster” and “disloyal,” according to the Courier Journal.
Trump also appeared on stage with the candidate he has endorsed in the race, former Navy SEAL and farmer Ed Gallrein, who entered the contest last year. Gallrein thanked the president for his support and accused Massie of failing to represent the district.
“This is the guy I’m looking for. I wanted — just give me somebody with a warm body to beat Massie. And I got somebody with a warm body but a big, beautiful brain,” Trump said of Gallrein.
The May 19 primary has become one of the most closely watched Republican House contests of the 2026 cycle.
Trump backs challenger in Kentucky primary
Trump’s visit was a direct attempt to influence the race in a district Massie has represented since 2012.
The president has repeatedly criticized the congressman over policy disputes, including federal spending, the war with Iran and legislation tied to Trump’s domestic agenda.
Hours before the event, Trump attacked Massie again in a post on Truth Social, calling him the worst Republican member of Congress and predicting he would lose his seat in the primary.
Trump endorsed Gallrein in October and has continued promoting him as the alternative candidate.
Gallrein briefly left the Republican Party in 2016 and filed as an independent before returning to the GOP. Trump defended that decision in his online post and praised Gallrein again during the Kentucky event.
Massie pushes back on Trump attacks
Massie has dismissed the president’s criticism and argued his positions reflect the campaign promises Trump made in 2024.
In an interview with ABC News, Massie said voters in his district have begun raising concerns about the economic effects of the war with Iran, particularly rising costs tied to fuel and agriculture.
“The first few days the war was popular, but then, as we saw gasoline and diesel prices go up, people started to talk about, you know, ‘what are the goals?’ ‘How long is this going to go on?’” Massie said.
Massie said the conflict is already affecting farmers in Kentucky preparing for planting season and facing rising fertilizer prices.
The congressman has also clashed with Trump over the release of records tied to the Jeffrey Epstein investigation. Massie helped push through legislation requiring the Justice Department to release those documents.
Millions flow into the race
The Kentucky contest has drawn heavy outside spending.
According to CBS News, campaign finance records show groups aligned with Trump have directed more than $5 million toward the race in recent weeks. A super PAC connected to the Republican Jewish Coalition has spent roughly $2.8 million, while a group called MAGA KY has spent about $2.7 million supporting Gallrein and opposing Massie.
Massie has also received outside backing, though at a smaller scale. Supportive groups have spent about $1.18 million defending the seat.
The district is heavily Republican and not expected to be competitive in the general election. That leaves the GOP primary as the decisive race.
Social media feud continues
The dispute between Trump and Massie has also played out publicly online.
After Trump criticized him again on Truth Social, Massie responded in a post on X referencing the Epstein files transparency law.
“I predict ‘President’ DJT will begrudgingly sign my beautiful Epstein Files Transparency Act,” Massie wrote, adding that the law has already forced prominent figures to face scrutiny.
Massie has faced primary challenges before and won comfortably. This year’s race is shaping up as his toughest since entering Congress, with Trump personally backing a challenger and outside groups pouring millions into the contest.
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
