In a surprising turn of events, former President Donald Trump launched a scathing attack on Texas Rep. Chip Roy, referring to him as a “RINO” or Republican in name only. Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to call for Roy to face a primary challenge. He questioned whether any "smart and energetic Republican" in Texas was ready to challenge Roy in the upcoming primary elections. Trump's comments came after Roy appeared in Iowa over the weekend to support Florida Governor Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign.

The attack on Roy by Trump drew immediate backlash from conservative politicians and commentators. Many defended Roy's conservative credentials and criticized Trump's comments as "laughably insane" and "idiotic." Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, whose campaign Roy was supporting, stood with Roy and expressed his honor to have his support. DeSantis emphasized that while Roy was actively fighting to secure the southern border, Trump was calling for a primary challenge against one of the most conservative members of Congress.

Support for Roy also came from other conservative figures, including Thomas Massie, a supporter of DeSantis' presidential campaign, who described Roy as an American hero, constitutionalist, and patriot. Jim Pfaff, the CEO of the American Blockchain PAC, also expressed his support for Roy and criticized Trump's comments. Stephen Miller, a contributing editor at The Spectator, called Trump's attack on Roy “laughable” and urged his supporters to stand by Roy.

Conservative commentator John Cardillo labeled Trump's attack as an "idiotic lie" and criticized those who did not call out the former president's "stupidity." Mark Krikorian, the executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, described Trump's accusation of Roy as a RINO as “nuts” and stated that Roy's conservative values were unquestionable.

In response to Trump's attack, Roy posted a photo of the former president alongside Dr. Anthony Fauci, a figure often criticized by conservatives. Roy's post seemed to highlight Trump's inconsistencies, particularly his previous interactions with Fauci.

It is worth noting that Roy is currently running unopposed in the Republican primary for Texas' 21st Congressional District, a position he has held since 2019. The filing deadline for candidates has already passed, making Trump's call for a primary challenge against Roy impossible.

When reached for comment, a Trump campaign spokesman, Steven Cheung, criticized Roy for endorsing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, referring to him as a “moron” and stating that DeSantis was "falling out of the sky like a wounded bird."

As the 2024 campaign trail unfolds, tensions within the Republican Party continue to rise, with Trump asserting his influence and demanding loyalty from party members. Roy's steadfast conservative values and his support for DeSantis' presidential campaign have made him a target of Trump's criticism, even as he remains unopposed in the upcoming primary elections.