Trump rips GOP Reps. who voted for the infrastructure bill

Former President Donald Trump excoriated the 13 congressional Republicans who voted in favor of the $1.2 trillion so-called bipartisan infrastructure plan during a speech Monday evening.

New York Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, who voted for the bill, was in the audience of the speech reportedly looking visibly shaken by Trump's remarks. 

It was Malliotakis and a dozen other Republican members who pushed the spending plan over the edge during a late-night Friday vote – it passed by a count of 228-206. Several progressive members of the Democratic caucus defected and did not vote for the party's legislation, but Republican support allowed the measure, which was passed by a wide bipartisan majority in the Senate back in August, to succeed. 

At the NRCC dinner, where Trump spoke, he appeared friendly with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), however, the former president is reportedly discontent with McCarthy's ability to keep his caucus unified on issues like the infrastructure bill, which would have failed if Republicans had maintained a unified front. 

While some Republicans, certainly those closely allied with Trump, have been vocal about their disapproval of their colleagues who voted for the bill, several of the GOP members who voted in favor of the infrastructure package are popular moderate members whose upcoming elections may hinge upon the passage of infrastructure spending that their communities badly need. Furthermore, the GOP caucus ultimately needs the support of its moderate members on a variety of other issues. 

Trump ally Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) is, for instance, calling for the removal of New York Rep. John Katko from his position on the House Homeland Security Committee. Rep. Fred Upton of Michigan, another Republican who voted yes on the bill, has been receiving death threats after Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) posted his phone number online after the vote.