Donald Trump has been reported to be “completely weirded out” by the scandals enveloping Madison Cawthorn.
The former president has boosted the young North Carolina Republican House member in the past, making him one of the most well-known right-wing representatives.
Mr Cawthorn was invited to speak at a North Carolina Trump rally last month, but since then, Mr Trump has grown weary of the 26-year-old, saying that his latest scandals are “gross”, according to two people who’ve heard Mr Trump recently speak on the issue, Rolling Stone magazine reported.
Leaks reported to be from former associates have followed Mr Cawthorn in recent weeks, including the publication of sexually suggestive images and videos that appear to have been released with the aim tarnishing his image in the minds of the mostly conservative voters in his western North Carolina congressional district.
Mr Cawthorn took to Twitter to push back following the release of a video showing him appearing to be naked in bed.
“A new hit against me just dropped. Years ago, in this video, I was being crass with a friend, trying to be funny. We were acting foolish, and joking. That’s it. I’m NOT backing down. I told you there would be a drip drip campaign. Blackmail won’t win. We will,” he wrote.
Last month, photos were published of Mr Cawthorn seemingly wearing women’s lingerie at a party. Politico reported that they were released by someone who previously was close to Mr Cawthorn and his campaign operation.
After the images were reported, Mr Cawthorn tweeted, “I guess the left thinks goofy vacation photos during a game on a cruise (taken waaay before I ran for Congress) is going to somehow hurt me? They’re running out of things to throw at me”.
“Trump is not at the point of pulling his endorsement, but the president says he wants to sit back and see what happens,” a source told Rolling Stone. “But he’s been disappointed with Madison, and thinks he has problems handling his” public communications specifically concerning the video and images that have been released.
Another source told Rolling Stone that Mr Trump has been confused by what he’s been told about the leaks. According to the magazine, he recently asked if Mr Cawthorn was “f***ing his cousin” – something which isn’t being alleged. Mr Cawthorn’s cousin is on his staff and has appeared in videos where sex was discussed.
“President Trump is completely weirded out by the allegations,” yet another source told the outlet.
In a statement to the magazine, Mr Cawthorn said, “President Trump is my friend and the leader of our party. I don’t trust anonymous sources and nameless accusations”.
“The fake news attacks MAGA warriors every single day. Their lies won’t distract me from fighting for an America First agenda in Congress”, he added.
The source who relayed Mr Trump’s question about Mr Cawthorn and his cousin paraphrased the former president saying that the North Carolinian needed to “get his act together”, but that he has the “good” opinions and said the right things, according to Mr Trump, about the 2020 election, which the former president still baselessly claims was stolen.
The American Muckrakers political action committee, operated by Democrats, released another video last week that appears to show Mr Cawthorn “dry humping someone’s head”. The video was released by “a former Cawthorn supporter and big donor who asked to remain anonymous”.
Former Air Force colonel and 2020 Democratic Cawthorn challenger Morris Davis told Rolling Stone that “the reason we put it out is just the blatant hypocrisy of Cawthorn. His bread and butter is the Christian Right. He’s trying to, according to him, stop the liberal, anti-family, anti-American – that whole narrative that he’s adopted when he does stuff like this”.
“I don’t lose any sleep worrying about Madison Cawthorn. I think people have the right to know what a hypocrite he is,” he added.
The video was no longer on the committee’s website as of Friday.
The Independent has reached out to Mr Cawthorn’s office for comment.
