President Donald Trump set off alarm bells on Monday with comments about loyalty to Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) during a White House event announcing the new Moms.gov resource for new and expectant mothers. The initiative itself has drawn controversy over some of its content.
Trump credited the Alabama Republican with persuading him to support the initiative, saying "she's the one that got me" into backing the resource. However, he then added: "I hope she always remains loyal to me so I can continue to support her."
"You've got it. You've got it. You've got it," Britt replied. Trump continued: "I would hate to go against her. That will never happen, Katie, right?"
"That's right, sir," responded Britt, who previously went viral in 2024 for her widely mocked response to then-President Joe Biden's State of the Union address.
Trump's remarks quickly sparked criticism online. One commenter wrote: "Trump literally just publicly threatened to go against Sen. Katie Britt unless she stays 'loyal to me.' We're living in an autocracy." Another added: "This is stuff you only hear in authoritarian countries."
Joe Walsh, former Republican congressman, tweeted: "My. Former. Political. Party. Is. A. Cult.?" Decoding Fox News questioned: "Mafia boss or president?"
Other reactions included: "Katie just agreed to never have an independent thought on any policy issue. Whatever Trump thinks - she agrees. Well done by Trump, I guess." and "He just can't stop talking like a Temu version of a Mafia boss. Give me Fat Tony from the Simpsons any day."
Critics also noted: "Notice the fascist-in-chief wants her to remain loyal to HIM, not the constitution, bill of rights, rule of law or the people she is supposed to represent..." and "nice career you have going there, Katie, would be a shame if something happened to it."
