Trump attacks GOP lawmaker to his face for defying spending bill

President Donald Trump reportedly took a swipe at Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) in a closed-door meeting on Capitol Hill Tuesday while trying to garner support for his "big, beautiful" spending bill.

Trump can only afford to lose three Republican votes before the bill fails to pass the full House.

Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman took to X on Tuesday morning with information from a source in the room.

"TRUMP told House Republicans that they shouldn't be a Massie grandstander," Sherman posted. "He is referring to Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican, who is in the room for the meeting."

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Trump raged at Massie in the spring for voting against a continuing resolution to keep the federal government open, writing on social media, "So Massie can vote for Debt Ceiling AND Budget to be put into the Trump Administration, making them both the Republicans problem and responsibility, but can’t give us a simple Continuing Resolution vote allowing us the time necessary to come up with a 'GREAT, BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL???' Republicans only 'NO' Vote. GRANDSTANDER!"

The president has vowed to "primary" Massie for his defiance, telling reporters outside the meeting, "I don’t think Thomas Massie understands government. I think he’s a grandstander and I think he should be voted out of office."

Trump made the short trip up to Capitol Hill to rally Republican "deficit hawks" over the bill that would extend Trump’s tax cuts and prioritize his border policies. The bill passed the House Budget Committee in a late-night vote on Sunday with the hardline conservatives voting "present" as a signal that they didn't fully back Trump.

In addition to Massie, holdouts include Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY), and Rep. Nick LaLota (R-NY).

According to The New York Times, "Their chief complaint has been that the package does not make enough structural changes to federal programs to substantially bring down the deficit."

Still, Trump told reporters Tuesday that his party was "unified."