President Trump escalated his war of words with Republican critics on Friday night, taking aim at two lawmakers who have opposed his administration's move to suspend certain tariffs on imported ground beef. In a series of Truth Social posts, Trump branded former Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene a "highly neurotic woman," Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie a "real JERK," and conservative podcaster Tucker Carlson "a loser."
The president's ire was sparked by a meeting between Carlson and the two Republicans, both of whom have publicly challenged the tariff pause. Trump wrote, "What a team this would be, THREE LOSERS, and a pocketful of change! The only chance they have is to join the Radical Left Dumocrats, and try breaking into the Primary System. To all of them I say, PRAISE BE TO ALLAH!"
The tariff suspension, announced Friday, allows up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported without the usual out-of-quota tariff for the next 90 days. The imported product is expected to sell at 25% below market price, a move Trump says will lower grocery costs and give U.S. cattle herds time to rebuild. But the decision has sparked a backlash from within his own party, with ranchers and conservative lawmakers calling it a betrayal of American producers.
Massie, in a social media post, called the policy "worse than socialism," arguing that "dumping foreign beef in U.S. markets can temporarily lower prices but it won't incentivize American farmers to raise more beef." He added that it was "a slap in the face to American cattlemen & consumers."
Montana Sen. Tim Sheehy, a Republican, said he had personally advised Trump against the move for a year, noting that "American ranchers have been struggling against the packer monopoly for decades, and this will further harm them – most of whom are MAGA Republicans." Florida Rep. Kat Cammack, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, urged consumers to "buy American!" in a Saturday post.
Greene, who was once a staunch Trump ally, responded Saturday morning with a lengthy post on X, suggesting Trump's anger stemmed from his sinking approval ratings. "He attacks us with such vitriol because we actually are everything he claimed to be, conservative and America First, and he has proven as President that he is nothing more than a neocon puppet for Israel, corporations, big donors with special interests, and his dear friends in the Epstein class," she wrote. "We never changed, Trump did."
Greene, who helped found the House Freedom Caucus and has been a prominent voice in the MAGA movement, has increasingly distanced herself from Trump over the past year. In her post, she admitted regret over her past support: "In the past, I supported him because of the policies he professed to support and passionately campaigned on, but now as president he's been revealed to be the Trojan horse who enforces many of the policies he claimed to be against. I'm sorry I didn't see it earlier and wish I had never supported him."
The beef tariff dispute is the latest flashpoint in a broader intra-party battle over trade and economic policy, as Trump's populist instincts clash with the interests of agricultural producers who form a key part of his base. The president has defended the tariff pause, saying it is necessary to combat inflation and help consumers, but critics argue it undercuts the administration's America First agenda.
This is not the first time Trump has clashed with GOP lawmakers over policy. Earlier this year, he faced backlash over his handling of visa restrictions, and he has also been defending the beef import tariff pause amid the rancher uproar. The president's allies have dismissed the criticism as the work of "RINOs" and disgruntled former supporters, but the growing rift suggests deeper divisions within the party as the midterm elections approach.
Greene's comments, in particular, signal a significant shift, as she was once one of Trump's most vocal defenders in Congress. Her break with the president could have implications for the 2026 primaries, with Trump already threatening to back challengers against Republicans who oppose him. Meanwhile, Massie and Sheehy have not backed down, insisting that the tariff pause is a mistake that will hurt American farmers and ranchers.
The administration has not indicated any plans to reverse the 90-day tariff pause, and Trump's latest outburst suggests he is digging in. But the political fallout is far from over, as GOP lawmakers weigh the economic merits of the policy against the political cost of crossing a still-popular president among the party's base.
