Two key allies of President Trump swiped at congressional Republicans on Monday in the wake of talk that more House GOP lawmakers could call it quits early amid friction with the administration.
Following firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) shock retirement announcement last week, an anonymous House Republican revealed thoughts of following suit and claimed others are having similar temptations.
“This entire White House team has treated ALL members like garbage. ALL,” an unnamed senior House Republican vented to Punchbowl News. “That is the sentiment of nearly all — appropriators, authorizers, hawks, doves, rank and file. The arrogance of this White House team is off-putting.”
“More explosive early resignations are coming. It’s a tinder box. Morale has never been lower. Mike Johnson will be stripped of his gavel and they will lose the majority before this term is out.”
Greene corroborated that sentiment and argued it’s “worse than people inside the bubble know.”
With her retirement announcement, Republicans could be at risk of watching their threadbare grip on the House slip to a zero-seat majority next year if they fail to defend the vacant Tennessee District 7 seat and Democrats win back their two vacancies. The GOP is favored to win in the special election in December to succeed Mike Green, the retired Tennessee Republican.
Already, 39 incumbent House lawmakers announced they won’t seek reelection next year, higher than at any point since at least 2018, according to Ballotpedia. Twenty-five of them were Republicans. That includes reps who have retired early.
Trump adviser Alex Bruesewitz scoffed at the anonymous Republican who vented frustrations over the president’s approach to Congress.
“The Republican Party owes its relevance and power entirely to @realDonaldTrump,” Bruesewitz clapped back. “They rode his coattails to victory, leveraged his name for fundraising, and now some members are whining? What a joke.”
“These ‘House and Senate guys’ eagerly leverage the President’s name, image, likeness, and endorsement to win their elections and fundraise. Yet now, they’re privately whining to anti-Trumpers,” he added in a follow-up post on X. “How utterly pathetic.”
Earlier this year, Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon made waves by likening the GOP-led Congress to the Duma, Russia’s legislative body that is seen as mostly ceremonial, according to the Wall Street Journal.
GOP lawmakers have made some of their differences with the Trump administration known, particularly on the issue of Ukraine, where Senate Republicans have largely been pushing for a tougher approach towards Russia.
“You know what really fires up the beltway GOP? Not any of the above,” Vice President JD Vance chided Monday after listing off issues such as out-of-control housing costs, a welfare fraud scandal in Minnesota, Obamacare problems, and more.
“The political class is really angry that the Trump administration may finally bring a four year conflict in Eastern Europe to a close,” he added. “But the level of passion over this one issue when your own country has serious problems is bonkers. It disgusts me. Show some passion for your own country.”
The Post reached out to the White House and Johnson’s office for comment.
Over the weekend, Trump had downplayed concerns about divisions within the GOP and touted the party’s unity under his watch.
“The Republican Party has never been so UNITED AS IT IS RIGHT NOW! Other than Rand Paul, Rand Paul Jr.(Massie!), Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown, and a couple of other ‘lowlifes,’” Trump mused on Truth Social late Sunday.
“And other than the fact that many want the Election threatening Filibuster TERMINATED (the Dems will do it in the first minute of their first chance!), and some don’t, there is great spirit and cohesion.”
