House Republican Claims GOP Leaders Are Conspiring to Block Trump From Making Recess Appointments

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) is stirring the pot.

Massie — a former friend and current enemy of President Donald Trump — suggested on Thursday that Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) are conspiring to prevent Trump from making recess appointments as Congress enjoys its usual summer break.

“I see some people are excited @realDonaldTrump can make recess appointments to fill out his staff now that Congress has recessed for August,” wrote Massie on X. “Bad news: @SpeakerJohnson and Leader Thune plan to convene-and-adjourn every 4 or 5 days to block Trump from making those appointments.”

Massie is right that some on the Right have been calling for and/or salivating over the prospect of recess appointments.

Massie’s claim comes amidst his ongoing feuds with both Trump and Johnson. The gadfly congressman has been critical of Trump’s handling of a wide range of issues, from his “Big Beautiful Bill,” to his support for Israel, to his attempt to move on from the ongoing news cycle over his administration’s management of the Jeffrey Epstein case.

On Tuesday, Johnson criticized Massie in no uncertain terms for his approach to his job.

“Some people, I try to protect them from themselves, you know,” said the speaker. “They kick and scream and bite their own colleagues. Some people seem to enjoy trying to inflict political pain on their own teammates. I’m not going to address anybody individually, but I’ll tell you that some here are much more frustrated than others. There’s a small, small, tiny handful.”

“One in particular just gives me lots of consternation. I don’t understand. I don’t understand Thomas Massie’s motivation, I really don’t,” he continued. “I don’t know how his mind works, I don’t know what he’s thinking.”

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