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A Kentucky<\/a> congressman singled out by Donald Trump<\/a> on Christmas as a \u201clowlife\u201d after co-authoring a law requiring the federal government to release all of its Jeffrey Epstein<\/a> files says the president attacked him for keeping a commitment to \u201chelp victims\u201d.<\/p>\n Thomas Massie then successfully sought donations for his run for another term in the 2026 midterm elections against an opponent that Trump \u2013 his fellow Republican \u2013 has already endorsed.<\/p>\n The back-and-forth illustrated a deepening divide between Trump and Massie. Massie earned the president\u2019s disdain by working to pass a bipartisan congressional bill demanding the full release of documents pertaining to Epstein<\/a>, the former friend of Trump who once pleaded guilty to soliciting prostitution from a minor and then evidently died by suicide in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on child sex-trafficking charges.<\/p>\n And on Christmas, Trump posted a rant<\/a> on his Truth Social platform that dismissed Congress\u2019s interest in Epstein as a \u201cscam\u201d while referring to Massie \u2013 the only lawmaker named in the post \u2013 as \u201cone lowlife \u2018Republican\u2019\u201d.<\/p>\n That prompted Massie to reply<\/a> on X: \u201cImagine celebrating a blessed Christmas with your family \u2026 suddenly phones alert everyone to the most powerful man in the world attacking you \u2026 for fulfilling his campaign promise to help victims!\u201d<\/p>\n Massie\u2019s account cited the \u201cone lowlife \u2018Republican\u2019\u201d phrase in the post\u2019s text, highlighted it in screenshots of Trump\u2019s tirade \u2013 and asked X users to \u201cplease support me\u201d while providing a link to his campaign donations site.<\/p>\n More than 40 people had donated nearly $3,000 within the first two hours of the fundraising plea, Massie\u2019s account said in separate follow-up posts. One user replying to Massie\u2019s account described having just made \u201cone of the few Republican contributions in my life\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cI really appreciate it, especially the day after Christmas,\u201d the congressman\u2019s account said.<\/p>\n Massie has served in the US House since 2012. He has become a thorn in Trump\u2019s side after the president\u2019s administration failed to deliver on his promises of complete transparency with respect to Epstein\u2019s case.<\/p>\n