Is this the New Face of MAGA?
Rand Paul and Thomas Massie are emerging as vocal critics of Donald Trump and the ever-expanding federal budget — and the Putin regime agrees with them.
Donald Trump has been put on notice: either get with the program, or face punishment from a younger generation of hardcore libertarian challengers — who also happen to be fully aligned with Vladimir Putin's policy agenda. That was the message – sent loud and clear – when Elon Musk called Trump's signature Big Beautiful Bill a “disgusting abomination” this week.
Online, two names quickly became associated with Musk's rebuke: Senator Rand Paul and Rep. Thomas Massie, both Kentucky Republicans and vocal critics of recent budget proposals. Just seven minutes after Musk's post, Massie endorsed it, saying “He's right,” with Rand Paul following about eight minutes later, adding, “I agree with Elon. We have both seen the massive waste in government spending and we know another $5 trillion in debt is a huge mistake. We can and must do better.”
Several prominent Democrats, including Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), and Bernie Sanders (D-VT) also endorsed Musk's statement, taking an opportunity to score political points in what appeared to be an internecine cat fight. However Massie, Paul, and Musk have been closely aligned with Putin's policy agenda, and Democrats should think twice before endorsing their positions.
Is the Debt Ceiling Back in Play?
While Trump's so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” pleases few, with various odious tax provisions, funding cuts, and a 10-year prohibition on state-level regulations on artificial intelligence, it does do one crucial thing: it extends the debt ceiling for four years. Without that provision, the United States will default on its debt sometime in July or August, according to Treasury Department estimates. This is exactly what the Putin regime wants.
Until Musk's rebuke of the Big Dumb Bill, the legislation was widely considered to be on a glide path towards passage, even as it faces a contentious reconciliation process in the Senate. But now that trajectory has been thrown into question, with dozens of Republicans and Democrats speaking out against various aspects of the bill. Musk's statement seems to have given cover to many Republicans, including Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), to push back.
If the Senate does not pass the current budget bill soon, it may be necessary to separate any debt ceiling provisions into a new “clean” bill. Democrats may wish to consider leading that charge, or risk being blamed for potential default. On Saturday, Donald Trump laid the groundwork to blame Democrats for default if the budget deal does not pass, saying “Now, the Democrats might like our country to be in default, but in 250 years, we've never been in default,” and adding that failure to extend the debt ceiling would be “catastrophic for our country.”
However, Trump posted Wednesday on Truth Social that he agreed with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), expanding on similar comments made on Saturday, that the debt ceiling should be “entirely scrapped to prevent an Economic catastrophe,” once again placing him at odds with hardline libertarians who want to see spending cuts instead of debt increases.
While Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said, “The US is never going to default,” the matter rests squarely on Congress’ ability to pass legislation — which is not guaranteed. Steve Bannon also recently claimed on his podcast that Musk and Bessent became engaged in a physical altercation, raising questions about discord over fiscal policy.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) may also find his position in question. In January, the current 119th Congress adopted a new rule for vacating the speakership, now up to nine votes from the previous single-vote threshold. However, with Musk providing cover for disgruntled Freedom Caucus members and other fellow travelers, there may well be nine disaffected Republicans willing to at least threaten Johnson with a motion to vacate, adding to uncertainty about whether Congress will address the debt ceiling before the August X-Date.
Massie and Paul: the New MAGA?
Donald Trump has also been on thin ice with critics in Russia ever since he called out Vladimir Putin as “crazy.” Julia Davis, a journalist who monitors Russian media, reported that Russian commentators said that Putin was “outraged that Trump didn't call [him] to express his solidarity after Ukraine's latest operation,” referring to the highly successful “Spider Web” attack on Russian strategic aviation assets.
The net result may be what amounts to a de-facto recall of Donald Trump, driven by Russia-aligned voices in the United States. Musk followed up his initial bombshell post with a pledge to “fire all politicians who betrayed the American people” in the November 2026 midterms, implying that he intends to once again use his vast fortune to shape the political landscape.
Pushback by Massie and Paul against the Trump bill sparked a flurry of posts on X promoting a Paul/Massie (or vice versa) ticket for 2028, suggesting a nascent effort to transfer MAGA adherents to new, more strictly libertarian flag-bearers, and away from Trump's cult of personality. However, few potential successors — perhaps least of all Vice President J.D. Vance — possess Trump's ability to engage his base.
However, Trump now faces a critical decision over how to engage with Elon Musk's criticisms after having just fêted him, going so far as to present him with a golden key to the White House. If Trump says nothing, he may come across as subservient; but if he lashes out, he may find himself the target of a meme war fueled by Musk, Thiel, Putin, and others aligned with Russia. Trump would likely find himself badly harmed by an open memetic mutiny, fueled by the entirety of the Russia-aligned faction of his own party.
Lest anyone be tempted to kick tire on Thomas Massie or Rand Paul as potentially less unhinged alternatives to the mercurial Trump, it would be wise to temper expectations. Massie has introduced legislation in both 2024 and 2025 to “End the Federal Reserve” — a longtime Putin policy wish. And Paul has been aligned with Russian policy talking points for at least the last decade; his father, Ron Paul, has been the leading advocate of terminating the Federal Reserve, having written a book in 2009 titled “End the Fed.”
The tide is turning against Donald Trump, driven by the libertarian faction within his own party, and rooted in frustration at the home office back in Moscow. It seems that the Kremlin is hungry for change and is unlikely to wait until 2028 to achieve it. Trump needs to decide whether to fall in line with his masters or provoke a damaging civil war within the fragile Republican coalition. ■
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Dave Troy
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