President Donald Trump is calling for Thomas Massie to be primaried after his vocal opposition to the operation to capture Nicolas Maduro on Saturday.
Trump has endorsed Ed Gallrein, who is running to unseat incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie in the Republican primary. Gallrein, a Navy SEAL veteran with a lengthy service history, has aligned himself closely to Trump and the America First agenda.
“I have heard that there are other Candidates exploring a run for this seat, but I am asking all MAGA Warriors to rally behind Captain Ed Gallrein, the Candidate who is, far and away, best positioned to DEFEAT Third Rate Congressman Thomas Massie, a Weak and Pathetic RINO from the beautiful Commonwealth of Kentucky, a place I love, and won BIG, ALL THREE TIMES,” Trump posted to Truth Social.
“A Brave Combat Veteran, Ed knows the Wisdom and Courage required to Defend our Country, Support our Military/Veterans, and Ensure PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH. He is a big fan of our recent attack on Nicolas Maduro, the Dictator of Venezuela,” Trump continued.
Massie has posted on X eight times expressing his discontent with the Trump administration’s decision to arrest the narco-terrorist. His criticism included what some considered a defense of the legitimacy of Venezuelan expropriations of American-owned oil assets.
It’s not American oil. It’s Venezuelan oil.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) January 4, 2026
Oil companies entered into risky deals to develop oil, and the deals were canceled by a prior Venezuelan government.
What’s happening: lives of US soldiers are being risked to make those oil companies (not Americans) more profitable. https://t.co/L8GVYt6g5l
Gallrein raised $1.2 million for his campaign in the third quarter of 2025 after launching in mid-October, the Lexington Herald Leader reported, which nearly doubled Massie’s $768,000 from the second quarter.
Kentucky’s 2026 primary elections will take place on Apr. 4.