Trump threatens primary against Texas conservative Chip Roy

President-elect Trump encouraged Republicans in Texas to consider a primary challenge to Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) on Thursday after he blamed the congressman for “getting in the way” of a push to raise the debt ceiling as part of government funding talks.

“The very unpopular ‘Congressman’ from Texas, Chip Roy, is getting in the way, as usual, of having yet another Great Republican Victory — All for the sake of some cheap publicity for himself. Republican obstructionists have to be done away with,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

In a subsequent post, the president-elect said he hoped “some talented challengers are getting ready in the Great State of Texas to go after Chip in the Primary. He won’t have a chance!”

Trump also invoked Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.), who lost a primary to a Trump-backed challenger earlier this year after he endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) over Trump in the presidential race.

Roy responded on the social platform X that he would not act on the debt ceiling without “real spending cuts.”

“My position is simple – I am not going to raise or suspend the debt ceiling (racking up more debt) without significant & real spending cuts attached to it. I’ve been negotiating to that end. No apologies.”

Former Vice President Pence backed up Roy in a post on X: “Congressman Chip Roy is one of the most principled conservatives in Washington DC and people across this country are grateful for his stand against runaway federal spending. We just can’t keep piling trillions in debt on our children and grandchildren.”

Thursday was not the first time Roy has drawn Trump’s ire. The former president in 2023 suggested that the Texas Republican should face a primary after he too endorsed DeSantis, though the filing deadline in Texas had already passed.

Roy easily won reelection in November.

The Lone Star State lawmaker, who is a member of the House Freedom Caucus, has been outspoken about the need for cuts to government spending to offset planned tax cuts next year when the president-elect returns to office.

Trump has called for lawmakers to raise or abolish the debt ceiling as part of ongoing discussions to fund the federal government, something many members of Congress have balked at. The standoff has raised the threat of a government shutdown, which would begin Saturday morning if a deal is not reached.

“Our Country is far better off closing up for a period of time than it is agreeing to the things that the Democrats want to force upon us,” Trump posted Thursday on Truth Social.

The Hill reached out to Roy’s office for comment.

Updated at 4:07 p.m. EST

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