Trump tells Max Miller his reelection bid is in trouble
President Donald Trump privately told Ohio Rep. Max Miller that his candidacy is in trouble ahead of November’s midterms, after abuse allegations from Miller’s ex-wife. Miller, who denies the claims, says he will not drop out and that Trump never asked him to quit the House race.
According to Axios, Trump told Miller on a Monday call that “things aren’t looking good” and warned that reelection would be difficult. Miller replied that his pollsters show him in strong shape and that he plans to stay on the ballot.
Key Takeaways
- Trump privately told Max Miller his November path looks shaky amid abuse allegations.
- Miller denies the claims and insists he will not suspend his reelection campaign.
- The House Ethics Committee is reviewing domestic violence and illegal drug-use allegations.
- Miller’s attorney apologized after a sensitive image of the couple’s toddler briefly went public.
What did Trump tell Max Miller?
Axios reported that Trump repeatedly told the Ohio Republican his race was not looking good, citing sources familiar with the private call. The BBC said the outreach came as Miller fought for his political life over the allegations.
Miller told CNN by text that Trump called Monday and “never asked me to drop out.” Asked whether he still plans to run, Miller said “nothing changed.” Follow more political TV and streaming developments in our Streaming & TV Alerts hub.
Why is Max Miller under pressure to quit?
Miller’s ex-wife, Emily Moreno, has accused him of throwing her against a wall, holding a gun to her head, and fracturing their two-year-old daughter’s collarbone, according to court documents and police reports cited by the BBC and other outlets. Miller calls the accusations “baseless” and “destructive” and denies abusing his ex-wife or child, as well as illegal drug-use claims.
Sen. Bernie Moreno, Miller’s former father-in-law, has urged him to leave Congress. On Tuesday, the House Ethics Committee said it is “reviewing allegations that Representative Max Miller may have engaged in domestic violence and abuse or illegal drug use,” while noting a review does not mean a violation occurred.
Separately, Miller’s attorney, Aaron Minc, apologized after a Dropbox folder Miller shared on X included a sensitive, unredacted image of their toddler. Minc said he missed the last pages of a long document, called the release unintentional, and said he corrected the file Monday morning.
Will Max Miller drop his reelection campaign?
Miller has refused. In a CNN interview he said, “I’m never going to back down,” and argued critics are creating “rumourmills without evidence.” He is seeking a third House term in the November midterms.
Ohio election rules made Tuesday a key withdrawal deadline for triggering a special primary. If he leaves later, party leaders have only a narrow window to replace him before an August 10 ballot deadline. For now, Max Miller says he is staying in the fight.