White House will yell ‘fake news’ but apparently, Donald Trump is battling betrayal and plotting vengeance against Republicans

The White House may call it “fake news,” but behind the scenes, there are signs that Donald Trump feels betrayed and is thinking about getting back at members of his own party. The bigger question many people are asking now is whether the Republican Party is still focused on serving the public, or if its main goal has become protecting Trump’s image at all costs.

Recently, Trump faced strong criticism, including from some Republicans, after he shared a video that showed the Obamas as monkeys. Many people said the video was racist. Instead of apologizing, Trump attacked the women and people of color in his party who spoke out against it. Publicly, he claimed he didn’t even realize how the Obamas were shown in the video and later deleted it once the backlash grew.

Even so, the situation seemed to affect him. According to his niece, one of Trump’s biggest fears is being embarrassed. That may explain why he reacted so strongly when people accused him of racism. Soon after, he posted several old photos of himself with Black celebrities, including music mogul Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, to show that he has Black friends. Some of those photos were more than 30 years old. However, reports say that in private, he was much angrier than he appeared in public.

One of the Republicans who criticized the video was Tim Scott, the only Black Republican in the U.S. Senate and the head of the party’s Senate campaign efforts. After Scott publicly condemned the video, Trump reportedly spent the weekend complaining that Scott should have handled the issue privately instead of speaking out. A senior official said Trump felt Scott didn’t need to criticize him in public since they work closely together.

There were also reports of tension between Trump and Katie Britt. Some sources claimed Trump called her angrily and even said she was “dead” to him. Later, though, her office denied that version of events, calling it fake news. The White House supported her statement and insisted she is still a strong ally of the president.

The White House has struggled to manage the situation. At first, officials defended the video, but later Trump said he didn’t support it. This back-and-forth has made critics question the credibility of press secretary Karoline Leavitt and other staff members. Many people now doubt what the administration says.

At the same time, Trump has made it clear that he is willing to use his influence over Republican voters against anyone who challenges him publicly. Shortly after the controversy, he was trying to push an important tariff plan through Congress. Some Republican lawmakers were reportedly thinking about opposing him. Trump responded by warning that those who go against him would “suffer the consequences” in their primary elections. He has a history of backing challengers against Republicans who cross him, so the threat was taken seriously.

Far-right activist Laura Loomer is said to have given Trump a list of Republican lawmakers who criticized the video. She later confirmed on social media that she planned to make sure Trump knew exactly who had accused him of racism. What he will do with that information is still unclear.

All of this has raised a larger concern. Is the Republican Party still focused on representing the people who elected them? Or has it become more about staying loyal to Trump and protecting him from criticism, no matter what happens? That is the question many voters are now asking.