Donald Trump and the billionaire Koch brothers are not fast friends. The Kochs, reportedly worth somewhere around $80 billion, have long given their support to GOP candidates. Until Donald Trump came along. The Kochs passed on that opportunity in 2016 and the relationship has been strained ever since. Fast forward to 2018 and the race for Senate in North Dakota. Trump flies to Fargo where he holds a rally to support Kevin Cramer, the GOP nominee who is in a very tight race with the Democratic Senator, Heidi Heitkamp.
Then over the weekend, the Kochs refused to endorse Cramer because he holds many of the same views as Trump. That sent the President over the Twitter ledge.
The globalist Koch Brothers, who have become a total joke in real Republican circles, are against Strong Borders and Powerful Trade. I never sought their support because I don’t need their money or bad ideas. They love my Tax & Regulation Cuts, Judicial picks & more. I made…..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2018
….them richer. Their network is highly overrated, I have beaten them at every turn. They want to protect their companies outside the U.S. from being taxed, I’m for America First & the American Worker – a puppet for no one. Two nice guys with bad ideas. Make America Great Again!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 31, 2018
FACT CHECK: FALSE.
TRUMP’s campaign most certainly did seek support from the KOCH BROS during the campaign, but the Koch network froze out Trump. https://t.co/aMqUPV8VMm https://t.co/Bp6oH5jYI3— Kenneth P. Vogel (@kenvogel) July 31, 2018
In 2016, Trump called Koch-backed politicians “puppets.” However, according to CNN, the Koch network did support some of the President’s economic reforms, especially rewriting the tax code. They ultimately opposed Trump’s controversial strategy on tariffs and trade, fearing retaliatory tariffs and an increase in the cost of industrial materials. Another point of contention is that the Koch network is willing to work with Democrats if their interests line up; CNN also says that Republicans were further angered when the network “funded a digital ad campaign applauding North Dakota Sen. Heidi Heitkamp’s support for rolling back bank regulations.”
The president tweets this morning about the "globalist Koch Brothers" pic.twitter.com/52l28d32wA
— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) July 31, 2018