Trump voter decries president's 'slap in the face' with bid to oust Epstein files champion

President Donald Trump has poured considerable political capital into ousting Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who infamously bucked the president by leading the charge to force the release of the administration's files on Jeffrey Epstein – a move one Trump voter recently condemned as a "slap in the face.”

“We love our congressman, and the fact that the president is trying to pick our next congressman for us is kind of a slap in the face to Kentuckians,” said John Detherage, a 62-year old Kentucky resident who voted for Trump, speaking with The Wall Street Journal in its report Sunday.

Trump has lashed out at Massie for months ever since the Kentucky lawmaker launched the effort alongside Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) to force the Trump Justice Department to release all of its files on Epstein, an effort that was ultimately successful. Trump attacked Massie as recently as Sunday morning, calling him a “bum,” a "troublemaker" and a “true negative force,” while urging Kentuckians to vote him “out” in the GOP primary election on Tuesday.

The GOP primary race has gone on to become the single-most expensive House primary race in U.S. history, with at least $25.6 million being funneled into the race, largely against Massie and in support of his Trump-endorsed GOP opponent, Ed Gallrein. A significant share of that spending – at least $6.6 million – has come from pro-Israel groups, prompted by Massie’s criticism of Israel in how it’s conducted its military siege on Gaza, which leading human rights groups have labeled a genocide.