HEBRON, Ky. — As the war in Iran sends gas prices climbing and rattles markets, President Donald Trump traveled here to defend his economic record and urge voters to unseat one of the Republican Party’s most outspoken critics of the conflict.
Trump labeled Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) a “nut job” and “disaster for our party” at the stop in Massie’s own district, escalating tensions with the libertarian who is among the president’s chief antagonists in his own party. Trump’s attacks fed off a crowd of enthusiastic supporters, who filled the logistics center with chants of “USA” when Trump referenced the “excursion” in Iran.
Massie “is disloyal to the United States of America,” Trump said to a sea of people wearing MAGA hats and waving signs supporting Massie’s opponent. “He’s got to be voted out of office as soon as possible.”
Trump’s push to defend his economic record and assert himself as party leader comes at a delicate moment for Republicans. Even before the conflict with Iran rattled energy markets this week, polls showed voters increasingly uneasy about the economy, with concerns about affordability and the cost of living emerging as a central vulnerability for the party ahead of the midterm elections. The war-induced turmoil this week only added to GOP anxieties as the Trump administration has issued conflicting messages about how long the strikes will last.
Banners reading “Lower Prices” and “Bigger Paychecks” hung over the rallygoers at Trump’s second road stop of the day, Verst Logistics, after he showcased his efforts to lower prescription drug prices at the pharmaceutical company Thermo Fisher Scientific in Ohio.
Trump appeared to revel in the embrace of a friendly audience at a time when he is confronting a 39 percent approval rating, midterm headwinds and pessimistic public attitudes about the economy. In recent months, his speeches have often emphasized how prices for gas have dropped during his second term. On stage, he asserted that the current increase in gas prices would be temporary and only last until the United States achieves victory in Iran — though the administration has given conflicting answers on what it would consider a success in the conflict.
Trump on Wednesday sought to boost Massie’s primary challenger, farmer and former Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, in a contest that will provide a referendum on Republicans’ opinions on the Iran war. Gallrein warmed up the crowd before the president’s arrival by calling Massie’s opposition to the war “unforgivable” as he highlighted his own military experience, betting that his opponent’s stance on Iran would alienate Trump supporters.
The majority of American voters oppose the conflict, but 85 percent of Republicans said they supported the intervention, according to a Monday Quinnipiac University poll.
Massie was among the first Republicans to announce his disapproval of the war, warning on X that the conflict was not “America First” — a political slogan that Trump has used to describe his approach to policymaking. Massie co-sponsored a resolution to curb Trump’s powers in the Iran war that was narrowly rejected by the House, and he has repeatedly criticized the administration publicly for spending billions of taxpayer dollars in the conflict.
Last year, he co-sponsored legislation that pushed the Justice Department to release files related to the investigation into sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including those that mention Trump.
Robert Prichard, a pro-Trump resident of Massie’s district who attended the rally, said he would like to vote the congressman out of office because of his criticism of the president. Prichard also said he supported the Iran war, even though he knows that fuel for his lawn and tree business might cost more this year.
“I’m willing to deal with the higher prices because I know there’s a bigger picture in it, and it’s temporary,” Prichard said. He added that he was willing to pay those increased prices “as long as it takes,” though he also said he trusts the president’s assessments that the war won’t last long.
Trump has faced consistently poor approval ratings, and he faces the weakest ratings on his handling of inflation, according to a February Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll.
The White House late last year started a nationwide tour to respond to voters’ concerns about affordability ahead of the midterm elections, with stops so far in Pennsylvania and Georgia. He often touted the administration’s efforts to lower the price of gas in those speeches, creating a challenge as he returns to the road Wednesday.
The administration has announced a number of measures to temporarily respond to voter pressure at the pump. At Tuesday’s news briefing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration “fully expected” the spike in oil prices.
The administration has offered risk insurance to oil tankers operating in the region, and the U.S. Navy will escort them when necessary, Leavitt said, adding that the administration is also drawing up plans to keep the Strait of Hormuz, a key channel for oil shipments, open.
The International Energy Agency on Wednesday also announced its largest-ever release of oil reserves — 400 million barrels — in an effort to control oil prices that have spiked because of the war.
Trump should focus on encouraging voters to “stay the course,” said Stephen Moore, a longtime economic adviser to the president. He said rising gas prices could pose a challenge in the midterms if the conflict is drawn out. Moore said he has discussed how to lower the price of gas in the short term with top administration officials, and he described them as “open minded.”
His recommendations include temporarily suspending the federal gas tax or suspending some regulatory requirements for refineries to quickly provide relief to consumers.
“The only long-term solution is to bring this war to a successful completion,” he said.
Amid anxiety within his own party, Trump warned that he frequently seeks challengers to politicians who oppose his policies.
“I do it all the time,” he said as he talked about Massie. “If somebody’s bad I try to get them out of office.”
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