Ex‑GOP Rep. Thomas Massie warned that Trump’s deployment of federal forces and use of the LA unrest to pressure lawmakers could backfire and erode conservative support.
At a Glance
- Former Republican Representative Thomas Massie said Trump’s tactics “won’t end well” for him amid the LA protests
- Massie, who voted against Trump’s immigration “Big Beautiful Bill,” noted the protests provide political messaging leverage for Trump
- He criticized the bill’s expansion of SALT deductions as a “$100 billion gift to California”
- Trump used the unrest to push GOP lawmakers to back his sweeping immigration plan
- The comment highlights growing Republican unease over Trump’s aggressive federal actions in California
Republican Dissent
Former Representative Thomas Massie, a libertarian-leaning Republican who split with Trump on immigration, is sounding the alarm. He warned that leveraging the unrest in Los Angeles to push the controversial “Big Beautiful Bill” through Congress “won’t end well” for the former president. Massie particularly blasted the bill’s provision expanding state and local tax (SALT) deductions, calling it a “$100 billion gift to California.” He framed it as political hypocrisy: rewarding the very policies Trump publicly condemns while posturing as tough on crime and immigration.
LA Unrest as Political Strategy
With federal troops flooding Los Angeles amid surging protests and ICE raids, the White House has seized on the moment to demand legislative action. A senior aide told Axios that the chaos “put it over the top” for hesitant senators, positioning the LA crisis as the final argument for passing Trump’s sweeping immigration bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson publicly endorsed the framing, saying the “lawlessness happening in LA” underscores the need to “pass the One Big Beautiful Bill immediately,” according to The Daily Beast.
Watch a report: Inside the LA protests and what they mean for Trump’s power play.
Risking Authoritarian Alarms
As Trump touts his show of force as a necessary response to unrest, critics across the political spectrum are warning of authoritarian overreach. Trump reportedly flirted with invoking the Insurrection Act, using its broad powers to justify deploying thousands of troops without state consent.
Governor Gavin Newsom has condemned the action, calling it a dangerous precedent. Massie’s dissent hints at deeper fractures: even some conservatives are alarmed by the use of federal military force to sway legislation, warning it undermines both state rights and public trust in governance.
For Trump, the gamble is clear—use the crisis to cement control and policy wins. But if voices like Massie’s grow louder, it could mark a turning point not just in this legislative fight, but in the GOP’s internal war over power and principle.
