A White House picnic featured entertainment and games while many members of Congress attended with families. Thomas Massie was absent because he was in Kentucky after losing a primary election, described as part of a pattern of punishment for dissent. Trump characterized Massie as deserving to lose and framed the outcome as a victory. Critics argue the effort to purge dissenters strengthens Trump’s grip on Republicans but may undermine the party’s legislative goals and its narrow control in Congress. The purge is also said to embolden other critics who feel they have little to lose. Polling is described as showing continued loyalty among Trump’s base while support erodes in the middle ground needed for midterm success. Conservative commentary warns that Trump’s wins may come more from harming Republicans than defeating Democrats.
"As Abba's Dancing Queen played, Donald Trump walked across a lawn featuring cornhole, oversized Connect Four, a ferris wheel and a food tent offering short ribs, mac and cheese and apple pie. Members of Congress and their families had come for the annual White House picnic. But not every member of Congress. Missing the fun was Thomas Massie, a longtime thorn in the US president's side. Massie was at home in Kentucky, suffering a primary election defeat that made him the latest victim of Trump's revenge tour."
"We won the Massie thing, the president told guests at the picnic on Tuesday evening. He was a bad guy. He deserves to lose. It was the latest imperious demonstration of Trump's enduring stranglehold on the Republican party, and his determination to purify it of dissenters. But at what price? In his quest to consolidate power, critics say, the president could also undermine his own legislative agenda and his party's fragile majority on Capitol Hill."
"Massie joins a growing list of purged Trump critics who now feel liberated to stir up trouble because they have nothing left to lose. The president also faces opinion polls suggesting that, while his support base remains as fervent as ever, it is losing touch with the middle ground where November's midterm elections will be won and lost. Charlie Sykes, a conservative author and broadcaster, said: He's tightening his grip on his party, for better or for worse."
"The problem is that most of his victories are coming at the expense of the Republican party rather than the Democrats at this point, which ought to be something of a warning sign. No slight is too small for Trump to wage a vendetta. During his first term, he ousted or made life intolerable for Republicans including Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Justin Amash, Bob Corker, Jeff Flake and Will Hurd. His second term is proving equally unforgiving to those deemed to have failed his loyalty tests."
Read at www.theguardian.com
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