Rep. Massie Responds to Trump’s “Moron” Remark with Quip About Presidential Prayers

Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie responded with measured wit on Friday after President Donald Trump called him a “moron” during the National Prayer Breakfast, saying he was “glad to know I’m in the President’s prayers.”

The exchange marks the latest development in a growing rift between Trump and the Kentucky congressman, whom the president has accused of being “an automatic no” on Republican-backed legislation in the House of Representatives.

“There is something wrong with him. We call him Rand Paul Jr.,” Trump said during Thursday’s event, drawing a comparison to Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who has also been known for his independent voting record within the GOP.

Massie, a staunch fiscal conservative who has served in Congress since 2012, defended his voting record on social media following Trump’s remarks. “The President called me a moron at the National Prayer Breakfast this morning because I’m still fighting for what he promised the American people,” Massie wrote on X, citing goals including reduced spending, no new wars, ending foreign aid, defending constitutional amendments, and exposing sex traffickers.

In a separate post on his campaign account, Massie noted that he votes with Republicans 91% of the time, breaking ranks only when he believes they’re “bankrupting our country, starting another war, or covering up for pedophiles.”

The conflict between Trump and Massie has escalated in recent months, with Trump now actively backing Ed Gallrein, a farmer and military veteran challenging Massie in the Republican primary for Kentucky’s 4th Congressional District.

Earlier this week, Trump took to Truth Social to criticize Massie further, suggesting the congressman “became a Liberal because his new wife… is supposedly a Radical Left ‘flamethrower.'” The personal nature of the attack referenced Massie’s recent marriage following the death of his first wife in 2024.

“Ed Gallrein… is a HIGH QUALITY individual, and there is no Candidate for Congress that could be better,” Trump continued in his endorsement post. “Thomas Massie is a Complete and Total Disaster, we must make sure he loses, BIG!”

Massie responded to the personal attack by noting his wife had actually voted for Trump three times. He also implied the criticism might be connected to his questioning of former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi about the release of additional files related to Jeffrey Epstein.

The public disagreement highlights growing tensions within the Republican Party between Trump loyalists and more independently minded conservatives as primary season approaches. Massie, known for his libertarian-leaning principles and commitment to fiscal conservatism, has maintained his position despite pressure from the president.

Political analysts note that Trump’s endorsements carry significant weight in Republican primaries, but Massie’s longstanding popularity in his district and reputation as a principled conservative could make this race particularly competitive.

The Kentucky primary, scheduled for later this year, will test whether Trump’s influence can unseat an incumbent Republican who maintains he’s fighting for the very policies Trump himself promised during his campaigns, even when it means occasionally voting against party leadership.

As the campaign develops, the race in Kentucky’s 4th District is likely to become a bellwether for Republican Party unity and the strength of Trump’s continued influence over GOP politics heading into the election cycle.