Former MAGA Congressman, One of Trump’s Earliest 2016 Backers Dumps Former President: ‘Loyalty Was Only a One-Way Street’

Former Rep. Lou Barletta (R-PA) said he will not support former President Donald Trump’s third White House bid, citing a lack of “loyalty” from his one-time ally.

Barletta was one of Trump’s earliest allies in the House and he co-chaired Trump’s 2016 campaign in Pennsylvania. During his final term in office, Barletta enthusiastically supported Trump and his policies.

Sunday, he slammed the former president for being disloyal to those around him during an interview with Politico.

“I’m not supporting him,” Barletta said. “I was one of his most loyal supporters in Congress. But loyalty was only a one-way street.”

Barletta, who left Congress in 2019, vied for Trump’s endorsement in Pennsylvania’s gubernatorial primary earlier this year. He did not receive it as Trump went with far-right Doug Mastriano, who ended up not being competitive in the general election against Democrat Josh Shapiro.

Barletta was muted in his criticism of Trump on the campaign trail.

Another former Republican Pennsylvania congressman blasted Trump for not showing loyalty to Barletta. Former Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA) asked, “Where in the hell is the loyalty?!”

“Lou and I were the first congressmen to come out and endorse Trump in his first election. We took a lot of heat about it,” Marino added. “I’m very disappointed in the former president. Because apparently, the loyalty does not go as far as he says.”

Marino then accused Trump of endorsing frontrunners in races so he could inflate his record.

“I’ll tell you what he does,” Marino said. “He watches the polls and whoever is the lead, coming into the tail end of things, that’s who he’s going to give out his endorsement.”

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