Hegseth unleashes on Massie in GOP primary showdown against Trump-backed Navy SEAL vet

By Fox News · Fox News

HEBRON, KY - Ed Gallrein, the Republican congressional candidate backed by President Donald Trump who is challenging Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky for the GOP nomination, landed extra firepower on the eve of the state's primary. Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL and Kentucky farmer, was joined on the campaign trail Monday by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth . Massie has long been one of Trump's most vocal GOP critics in Congress and the Republican primary in Kentucky's 4th Congressional District, in the north-central part of the state, the latest test of Trump's immense grip over the GOP. "President Trump needs reinforcements, and that’s what war fighters do. They stand behind leaders and have their back," Hegseth said at an event organized by America First Works, a Trump-aligned nonprofit political advocacy group. TRUMP SCORES MAJOR PRIMARY VICTORY AS CASSIDY OUSTED IN LOUSIANA Massie, a libertarian-minded lawmaker who repeatedly takes aim at the president over foreign policy, including the Iran war and unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel, also successfully pushed for the release of government files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But Hegseth argued that Massie's record is one of "too much grandstanding, too few great votes, years of acting like being difficult is the same thing as being courageous. It’s not. Real courage means stepping up when the mission matters most, when we need that tough vote to beat left-wing lunatic Democrats the most." "President Trump does not need more people in Washington who are trying to make a point, especially from his own party. He needs people willing to help him win, to vote with him when it matters the most," Hegseth added. Hegseth's remarks, which came soon after a stop at nearby Fort Campbell to award medals for service members, were rare for the civilian head of the nation's military. Defense secretaries have traditionally avoided appearing at political events. Ahead of the stop, Pentagon spokesman Sean Par…