Trump endorses Massie two years after calling for him to be booted from GOP

Former President Trump announced his endorsement of Rep. Thomas Massie (Ky.) on Tuesday, after previously calling for him to be kicked out of the Republican Party.

“Congressman Thomas Massie is a Conservative Warrior for Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District!” Trump wrote in his statement. “An MIT graduate and a first-rate Defender of the Constitution, Thomas fights hard to Protect your Liberties, especially the First and Second Amendments, which are under siege by the Radical Left.”

The endorsement of the libertarian-leaning lawmaker marks a major change in tone for Trump, who in 2020 called for Massie to be ousted from the GOP over his opposition to a $2 trillion coronavirus relief package the then-president was pushing Republicans to pass. 

“Looks like a third rate Grandstander named @RepThomasMassie, a Congressman from, unfortunately, a truly GREAT State, Kentucky, wants to vote against the new Save Our Workers Bill in Congress,” Trump tweeted at the time. 

“WIN BACK HOUSE, but throw Massie out of Republican Party!” Trump said in another tweet.

Since then, Massie has had multiple controversial votes within his own party, particularly relating to the Russia-Ukraine war. 

In opposition to most Republicans, Massie voted against making it easier to send Ukraine military aid, investigating Russia for war crimes and urging the Biden administration to confiscate sanctioned Russian oligarchs’ assets to use the funds to assist Ukraine.  

Massie leads big in the polls against his primary challengers and is expected to win reelection in a landslide, the Northern Kentucky Tribune reported. 

Massie previously said he was not concerned about Trump and predicted the former president would stay out of his primary.