Representative Thomas Massie, the Kentucky Republican known for his relentless obsession with fiscal restraint, has once again refused to compromise his fiscally conservative principles for praise from popular online conservative influencers.
This time, he’s standing firm against a Trump-endorsed spending package that will further increase the national debt, according to every expert economist. The bill, cheered on by former President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, includes $175 billion for border security enhancements and $150 billion for military funding, adding a hefty $328 billion to the deficit this year and $295 billion the year after, according to Massie’s own calculations.
Online conservative influencers are losing their patience with Massie’s principled stance. The package, a sprawling resolution to keep the government funded into March, sailed through the House despite Massie’s objections. He argued that supporting it would betray the very ideals Republicans claim to champion, especially given the nation’s debt, which is already more than $36 trillion.
“Massie needs to get with the program,” declared Chad Giga, a prominent X user in the conservative circles. “Trump says jump, and you jump. That’s how we win. Principles are just fancy excuses for losing.”
Earlier attempts to include a debt ceiling increase — another Trump priority — fell flat after conservatives like Massie balked at the idea of piling more borrowing onto an already overstretched federal ledger. The final version, stripped of the debt ceiling hike, still didn’t win over the Kentucky congressman, who called it a betrayal of fiscal responsibility.
Across the digital landscape, the backlash from Trump loyalists has been swift and brutal.
“Thomas Massie is single-handedly tanking our momentum,” fumed Tara Magathonia, a self-styled patriot influencer. “We’ve got a mandate to secure the border and arm up, and he’s over here counting pennies like some Democrat bean-counter.”
Massie doubled down on his position during a recent interview, pointing out that the bill’s deficit spending flies in the face of Republican promises to rein in Washington’s excesses.
His history of bucking party leadership is well-documented—he famously forced a roll call vote on a COVID-19 relief package in 2020, earning Trump’s wrath and the nickname “third-rate Grandstander.” Yet, despite the online outrage, Massie’s district remains a deep-red stronghold..
Not every voice online is singing the same tune, though.
“Good for Massie,” posted @thechadwickpaul, a lesser-known but vocal commenter. “Someone’s got to tell the government the piggy bank’s empty.”
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