Donald Trump has issued a stark warning to a Fox News reporter’s fiancé, threatening to unseat him from Congress due to his opposition to the former President. Trump labeled the Republican lawmaker as a ‘RINO’—a term used for Republicans In Name Only—and cautioned that defying him typically ends poorly for GOP members. The reporter in question, Jacqui Heinrich, is engaged to Brian Fitzpatrick, a moderate Republican who represents a district in Pennsylvania that leans Democratic. During a media interaction at Joint Base Andrews, Trump deflected Heinrich’s question about his call to Benjamin Netanyahu, instead launching into a critique of Fitzpatrick’s voting record.
Trump expressed his bewilderment over Fitzpatrick’s voting choices, suggesting Heinrich should question her fiancé about his frequent opposition. “Her husband, she’s married to a certain Congressman and he likes voting against Trump,” Trump remarked, before ominously adding, “You know what happens with that, doesn’t work out well.” This comment seemed to allude to the successful primary challenge faced by Kentucky Representative Thomas Massie, who also voted against Trump. Recently, Fitzpatrick has opposed a White House funding request, which includes nearly $220 million for a ballroom project favored by Trump, and is actively working to block a $1.8 billion fund that Trump has earmarked for his political allies.
The $1.8 billion fund, a settlement from a $10 billion lawsuit Trump filed against the Justice Department, is intended to compensate those Trump claims were victims of ‘lawfare’ under the Biden administration. While Trump argues the fund serves to reimburse those who were unfairly treated, it has faced bipartisan criticism. Lawmakers from both sides have labeled the fund a ‘slush fund’ and condemned it as one of the most corrupt actions in presidential history. Despite the backlash, Trump maintains that the move is justified.
The President has also racked up a string of successful primary challenges against GOP lawmakers who opposed his legislative agenda, including Massie and Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy. Trump’s threat against Fitzpatrick suggests other Republicans he views as insufficiently loyal to his agenda could be next. Heinrich, an award-winning journalist for Fox News, is known for tough coverage of the Trump administration that has repeatedly drawn the President’s ire. Last year, Trump called her ‘absolutely terrible’ on Truth Social and said she ‘should be working for CNN, not Fox’ after she questioned his display of Tesla vehicles at the White House.
