Trump has made a lot of enemies. But some have come straight out of left field.
And President Trump was stabbed in the back by the last person he expected.
In the heat of the government shutdown showdown, Tennessee Republican Congressman John Rose pulled off a savvy maneuver that had Washington buzzing. Originally poised to vote “no” on advancing the spending package to a final vote, Rose flipped to “yes” right in the thick of leadership discussions. This wasn’t some sudden epiphany about fiscal responsibility—it was pure political grit.
According to a fellow Republican congressman familiar with the exchange, Rose’s initial resistance stemmed from raw frustration over President Trump’s glowing remarks about his primary rival for Tennessee governor, Senator Marsha Blackburn. The insider put it bluntly: Rose “was just mad because the president had not endorsed him.”
Rose turned that anger into action, using his stance as leverage to snag a face-to-face with top GOP brass.
CNN confirmed this directly with Rose, who admitted the powwow touched on his push for the SAVE Act—a crucial bill demanding proof of citizenship for voter registration—but also delved into the heated gubernatorial contest.
House Speaker Mike Johnson didn’t mince words when addressing the flip. “John is engaged in a tight race for the governorship of Tennessee,” he told reporters. “He’s thoughtful about that and he wants a fair fight there and so that’s what we discussed, but no promises.”
Rose’s retort to Johnson’s “fair fight” line was cryptic and telling. “You can imagine what that means,” he said to CNN, hinting at the high-stakes jockeying behind closed doors.
A White House official, speaking on background to The Daily Wire, made it clear: Trump and Rose “did not speak” on that fateful Tuesday. No direct Oval Office intervention, but the tension was palpable.
Trump has held off on an official endorsement in the Tennessee governor’s race, yet his recent shoutout to Blackburn at the Trump Accounts summit sparked endless speculation.
Outlets like the Knoxville News Sentinel fueled the fire, suggesting an endorsement might be brewing.
Recalling Trump’s exact words: “Marsha Blackburn is an incredible person. Unfortunately, she is running for governor. She is running for governor of Tennessee.”
He went on: “I’d love her not to, I begged her, I said Marsha, ‘Don’t, we don’t want to lose you in the Senate,’ but I have to say, they’re lucky. They’re lucky to get you. Because you’re a talent and a great person, and you’ve been with me all the way, and I appreciate it, and you’re a very special person. Marsha, stand up, please.”
The Republican colleague said Rose interpreted that praise as a de facto nod to Blackburn.
Rose “took that as an endorsement,” the insider revealed, capturing the cutthroat nature of intra-party battles.
The procedural vote to move the spending bill forward barely scraped by with 217 yeses, in a House where Republicans cling to a razor-thin 218-seat edge.
Kentucky’s Rep. Thomas Massie bucked the party line with a “no,” joined by every Democrat. The final package passed with 217 votes too, mixing bipartisan backers and foes, and Rose ultimately voted to restart government operations.
