House Republicans that President Donald Trump has targeted for primary defeats won't receive any help from the National Republican Congressional Committee, Axios reported on Tuesday.
As several Republicans continue to hold out on voting for Trump's "big, beautiful bill," the president is taking note of those lawmakers willing to stand in the way of his key legislation. Earlier in the day, Trump made an in-person pitch to the few remaining GOP dissenters at the House Republican Conference imploring his party to unify behind his agenda.
The president told reporters that those Republicans could "possibly" face primary challengers, saying: "They wouldn't be a Republican much longer. The would be knocked out so fast."
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., emerged from the conference unmoved by Trump's presence or his words and confirmed he would still vote no on the bill. In response, Trump told reporters that Massie "should be voted out of office."
When NRCC Chair Richard Hudson, R-N.C., was asked about Trump's comments, he responded, "I don't want to comment on something I didn't hear." When pressed further by the outlet if the committee would step in to protect Republican incumbents, he answered, "We don't do primaries."
Massie has been a thorn in Trump's side for months, with the Kentucky congressman labeling the GOP's continuing resolution "Biden's spending agenda." In March, Trump had called for Massie to be primaried and said he would "lead the charge" to make sure he wouldn't be the Republican candidate in the midterms.
In December, Trump had encouraged some "talented challengers" to step into the political field and take on Rep. Chip Roy of Texas in a potential primary. On Friday, Roy was one of four Republicans to vote against advancing Trump's budget in the House Budget Committee, where it was defeated in a final vote of 21-16.
Although he didn't mention them by name to be primaried, Trump has also confronted the GOP's state and local tax caucus, a group of Republicans from New York, California, and New Jersey that had promised to block the tax bill unless the current $10,000 cap on SALT deductions were increased.