David Jackson, and Eliza Collins

USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — President Trump's uneasy relationship with certain Republicans burst into public view Thursday, as the president used Twitter to raise the specter of Trump-backed primary challengers to House Freedom Caucus members who blocked his health care bill last week.

"The Freedom Caucus will hurt the entire Republican agenda if they don't get on the team, & fast," Trump tweeted. "We must fight them, & Dems, in 2018!"

While some Republicans sympathized with Trump's frustration, others pushed back on the president's political threat. Defending their opposition to what they called a bad health care bill, some referred to Trump's past campaign pledge to "drain the swamp" in Washington.

"It didn't take long for the swamp to drain @realDonaldTrump," tweeted Rep. Justin Amash, R-Mich. "No shame, Mr. President. Almost everyone succumbs to the D.C. Establishment."

Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Idaho, a founder of the Freedom Caucus, took to Twitter to remind Trump of past conservative support: "Freedom Caucus stood with u when others ran. Remember who your real friends are. We're trying to help u succeed."

In a later tweet storm, Trump singled out Labrador and other caucus members Mark Meadows of North Carolina and Jim Jordan of Ohio, saying that if they "would get on board we would have both great healthcare and massive tax cuts & reform."

The fight began last week when members of the House Freedom Caucus blocked a House vote on a health care plan designed to "repeal and replace" the legislation President Barack Obama signed in 2010.

Conservatives said the proposal backed by Trump and House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., did not eliminate enough Obamacare regulations.

Asked about Trump's tweet Thursday, Ryan said he understands where Trump is coming from. He noted that "about 90% of our conference is for this bill to repeal and replace Obamacare and about 10% are not," yet the House has been unable to pass a bill. Ryan encouraged all members to keep working toward a plan that can secure passage.

The House speaker downplayed any Republican primary threats, telling reporters that Trump "is just expressing his frustration; you all know that he does that in various forms, including Twitter."

Some Republicans reacted to Trump's tweet with defiance, while others simply shook it off.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., a Republican who is not a Freedom Caucus member but did oppose the alternative health care plan, referenced Trump's campaign pledge to "drain the swamp" in Washington. "It's a swamp not a hot tub," Massie said in a reply tweet to the president. "We both came here to drain it."

Claiming the GOP health care plan had only 17% support in a public opinion poll, Massie said: "Sad!"

Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., a member of the Freedom Caucus, said he also understands Trump's frustration because "Congress has failed him, not the other way around." Franks, who never took a formal position on the health care bill, said that as long as Trump keeps "appointing Supreme Court justices and trying to head this country in the right direction, he’s probably not going to have criticism.”

As for a possible challenge in 2018, Franks said: “If somebody can get to the right of me in the primaries God bless them.”

Trump's criticism reflects ongoing tensions within the Republican Party between hard-core conservatives and colleagues who are seeking legislation that can pass both the House and Senate and win support from a majority of voters, on repealing Obamacare as well as other issues.

Matt Mackowiak, a Republican political consultant based in Texas, said there is "a natural contrast" between Trump and many GOP conservatives, one that may be deeper any side realizes.

"Donald Trump is all about deals and the Freedom Caucus is all about principles," Mackowiak said. "I'm not sure it can be fixed on health care, and the more frustrated Trump gets, the more likely he will be to try to cut deals with Democrats."

It's hard to say how a split would affect the 2018 elections, Mackowiak said, though he added: "A narrower (Republican) majority in the next Congress would make Trump and Ryan's job even harder than it is now."

Recruiting primary opponents to run against sitting House Republicans is easier said than done, said Jennifer Duffy, senior editor of The Cook Political Report.

For one thing, it will be hard to find challengers more conservative than many Freedom Caucus members, Duffy said. There also may not be many establishment Republicans willing to be considered "Trump's candidate" in a tough primary race.

"I think he might believe he can recruit candidates," she said, "because he's never actually had to do it."

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