As you’ve already seen this morning, Trump attacked the Freedom Caucus again, suggesting if they don’t get in line the whole Republican agenda will fail:
The Freedom Caucus will hurt the entire Republican agenda if they don't get on the team, & fast. We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 30, 2017
Freedom Caucus member Justin Amash didn’t take to kindly to that tweet and responded with one of his own:
It didn't take long for the swamp to drain @realDonaldTrump. No shame, Mr. President. Almost everyone succumbs to the D.C. Establishment. https://t.co/9bDo8yzH7I
— Justin Amash (@justinamash) March 30, 2017
That’s exactly right. Trump has succumbed to the DC establishment on health care and it appears he’s quite happy to stay there.
Mark Levin followed suit a few minutes ago and backed Amash up, saying that Trump is now in open warfare against conservatives:
Looks like Trump is in open warfare against conservatives now; the GOP establishment purists on the march to nowhere https://t.co/n8jL2saJbq
— Mark R. Levin (@marklevinshow) March 30, 2017
Establishment purists is a great way to characterize this. Levin isn’t just turning the tables, but pointing out that it’s really Trump and Ryan who are entrenched on this bill and unwilling to really compromise on the stuff that needs changing, which is why the bill won’t pass.
As far as Trump’s tweet goes, I’ve watched two interviews this morning from both Jim Jordan and Dave Brat and neither would get into the personal stuff like Amash did. They both stuck to policy and pointed out, among other things, that the current bill is just not what they told the American people they would do.
Here’s the one with Jim Jordan on Fox News: