Former MAGA congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has declared that the future of the Republican Party has been “destroyed” following the primary defeat of Rep. Thomas Massie, pointing to the legislative push to uncover files related to Jeffrey Epstein as the catalyst for his political downfall.
Massie lost his primary election in Kentucky’s 4th congressional district to retired Navy SEAL Ed Gallrein, a challenger backed by President Donald Trump. Moments after the race was called, Trump praised the outcome to reporters.
“We won the Massie thing,” Trump said in video captured by CNN. “He was a bad guy. He deserved to lose.”
The contest followed more than a year of public friction between Massie and the administration over federal spending and the disclosure of records tied to the late convicted sex offender.
Following the race being called, Greene took to her X account to defend the outgoing lawmaker and heavily criticize the current trajectory of the party.
“I am proud and thankful to have served in the U.S. House of Representatives with my friend Thomas Massie, a giant among weak pathetic men,” Greene wrote.
“Releasing the Epstein files was our demise,” she added. “But it was worth every single bit because now everyone knows the truth. You are ruled by the Epstein class that cares nothing about you and your elected leaders are bought and controlled by a foreign lobby.”
Greene, a hardline conservative who previously resigned from Congress after Trump withdrew his endorsement, following her own support for the Epstein document disclosures, argued that the primary results signal a permanent fracture within the party infrastructure.
“Tonight the future of the Republican Party was destroyed,” Greene wrote. “The Real America First Movement will rise led by the younger generations, who hate the old guard with an unquenchable passion. Let us pray that we have a country left by the time these creatures are gone.”
Massie had teamed up with Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat from California, to file a discharge petition that successfully forced a floor vote on the Epstein Transparency Act. The measure passed with near-unanimous support in the House after drawing backing from several conservative figures, including Greene, Lauren Boebert and Nancy Mace.
The resulting friction with the White House and the Department of Justice over the law’s implementation helped spark a concerted campaign to unseat Massie. Trump endorsed Gallrein and dispatched Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to campaign against the incumbent ahead of the vote.
Despite the loss, Massie defended the legislative efforts during his remaining time in office.
“Today is the six-month anniversary of the Epstein Transparency Act,” Massie said. “We’ve taken out two dozen CEOs, an ambassador, a prince, a prime minister, a minister of culture — that was just six months. I’ve got seven months left in Congress.”
The White House heavily praised the election outcome.
“Do not ever doubt President Trump and his political power,” White House communications director Steven Cheung posted on X shortly after the race was called.
Cheung later shared a video clip of CNN senior political data reporter Harry Enten analyzing the race to highlight the administration’s control over the party’s base.
“The bottom like is this: Donald Trump is the general of the Republican Party and the Republican primary voters are his soldiers,” Enten said.
