Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) didn't hold back his frustration with President Trump after losing his primary race Tuesday night, using his concession speech to criticize the president's lavish plans for a White House ballroom while Americans struggle with soaring costs.
“I got to watch Fox [News] for the first time in 18 months, and there was the president talking about — by the way, while gas is almost $5 and diesel’s almost $6 — they’re talking about this big ballroom they’re going to build,” Massie said. He compared the planned structure to “architecture from the Roman Empire,” adding, “I see a few analogies there, and people are just trying to make ends meet.”
The ballroom project is part of Trump's controversial second-term renovations to the White House, which include tearing down the East Wing and replacing it with a grand ballroom. The estimated $400 million cost is expected to be covered by private donors, but critics like Massie argue the optics are damaging when inflation remains a top concern for voters.
Massie's defeat ends his 14-year tenure representing Kentucky's 4th Congressional District. He lost to former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, who secured about 55 percent of the vote to Massie's 45 percent, according to Decision Desk HQ. Gallrein had Trump's endorsement, making this the latest win in the president's campaign to purge Republican critics from office.
Trump personally recruited Gallrein to challenge Massie after the congressman opposed several key administration policies, including the Iran war stance and the Justice Department's handling of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The president also attacked Massie on Truth Social earlier Tuesday for posting an old endorsement from Trump, calling him “the Worst Congressman in the Republican Party” and accusing him of deception.
Massie took a parting shot at his opponent, noting in his speech that he had to call Gallrein to concede but “it took a while to find Ed Gallrein in Tel Aviv,” a reference to campaign contributions from the Republican Jewish Coalition PAC. The pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC celebrated Gallrein's win, labeling Massie the “anti-Israel incumbent.”
Gallrein thanked Trump in his victory speech, saying, “I want to thank President Trump for his support, his endorsement and his counsel as I navigated this campaign.”
This primary loss is part of a broader pattern of Trump successfully ousting Republicans who cross him. In a related development, Trump's endorsement of Ken Paxton over incumbent Sen. John Cornyn stunned Senate GOP leaders and risks handing a Texas seat to Democrats. Similarly, Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was ousted in a GOP primary as Trump's influence continues to reshape the party.
Massie's defeat underscores the president's tightening grip on the Republican Party, even as some members question the priorities of a White House focused on grand building projects amid economic anxiety.
