Donald Trump Calls MN's Top Republican A 'Globalist RINO'

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Just hours after he was nominated as speaker designate on Tuesday, Rep. Tom Emmer of Minnesota felt he had to drop out of the race for U.S. House speaker.

The chief reason was likely the attack on his character by Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee for president.

On the social media site Truth Social Trump called Emmer a "Globalist RINO" and said it would be a "tragic mistake" to make him the House speaker.

"I have many wonderful friends wanting to be Speaker of the House, and some are truly great Warriors," Trump wrote.

"RINO Tom Emmer, who I do not know well, is not one of them. He never respected the Power of a Trump Endorsement, or the breadth and scope of MAGA—MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"

Emmer, the current House majority whip, is Minnesota's senior Republican in Congress. The attacks from Trump come as the Minnesota Republican Party spends money on a legal battle to keep the former president's name on the 2024 ballot.

State Republicans defended Emmer's record, telling Patch in a statement, "Tom Emmer has helped Republicans in Minnesota and across the country for the past eight years, including Donald Trump. Emmer campaigned with Trump throughout 2020 and was endorsed by him three times. We are confident that he will continue to be a solid conservative representative for the Sixth District, and we are proud to have him in our delegation."

Meanwhile, state Democrats said, "The fact that Tom Emmer was not far right enough for House Republicans is a sign of just how extreme the Republican Party has become."

Emmer is the third Republican this month to be nominated for speaker but then fall out of the race due to Republican Party dysfunction, in-fighting, and backbiting.

After Rep. Jim Jordan's candidacy for speaker flamed out last week, Emmer became the frontrunner.

But shortly after Emmer's nomination Tuesday morning, about a dozen Republicans from the House Freedom Caucus said they would not support him in a full vote on the House floor. Then came the attacks on social media from Trump.

The dysfunction in the House has become increasingly embarrassing for the Republicans, who are unable to move forward with any legislation until they choose a speaker.

The GOP-controlled House is now in its 22nd day without a speaker after Matt Gaetz and six other combative conservative representatives ousted Kevin McCarthy from the job.