Donald Trump calls billionaire Koch brothers a "total joke"

"I made them richer", he wrote.

Jeff Colyer avoided weighing in Tuesday on President Donald Trump's criticism of the Kansas-based Koch brothers - who are among the most influential Republican donors in the country. But he embraced Trump's moves during the first year of his presidency, including the $1.5 trillion tax package Trump signed into law late last year that instituted a 40% permanent tax cut for corporations. They want to protect their companies outside the USA from being taxed, I'm for America First & American Worker -a puppet for no one.

Trump has previously clashed with the donors, suggesting in the early days of his presidential campaign that those courting the two were "puppets". "Make America Great Again!" he tweeted.

Indeed, despite its power and money, The Koch Empire couldn't stop Trump as he rolled over the 16 other Republican candidates, much to the chagrin of Never Trumpers in the GOP who were infected with a strain of Trump Derangement Syndrome as bad as that among activists on the Left.

Trump has publicly threatened to shut down the federal government over his push to overhaul the nation's immigration system and fund his signature border wall, though officials say he has privately assured staff he wouldn't provoke a fiscal crisis before midterms. The brothers are bailing on Republicans who don't meet their ideological purity test.

Trump has consistently framed his policies as pro-worker, often citing GDP growth and job numbers at near-record highs to bolster his case, though the vast majority of economists say his policies could lead to ruin for some sectors of the economy.

"I don't necessarily think the Kochs splitting a little from the GOP makes it harder to fundraise", said Eberhart, who attended the Koch summit and stands by Cramer.

But recently, Koch opened up to the possibility of funding Democratic candidates as they try to take both houses of Congress in November.

Trump held a rally in Tampa on Tuesday in a show of force for DeSantis, who faces off against state Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam in the state's August 28 Republican primary.

But trade - and Trump's aggressive actions on tariffs - remain a sticking point for some of the Koch stalwarts.

Speaking of which, the Kochs planned to spend $400 million in this cycle, help which Republicans can desperately use in what's shaping up as a tough midterm cycle.

Charles and David Koch have been a force in American politics for decades, channeling billions of dollars into conservative causes. Heidi Heitkamp's support for rolling back bank regulations. "And it became too small to succeed. We are raising the bar, raising expectations", Koch lieutenant Emily Seidel told donors Monday.

"I look forward to continue to work with the administration".

Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel expressed her disappointment in the Koch brothers during an interview Tuesday on Fox News' "America's Newsroom". Bill Nelson, saying it's time for Florida to vote him out of office at a Tampa, Florida, rally.

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