When President Trump travels to Greater Cincinnati on March 11, he won’t just be visiting the district of his chief GOP nemesis, Rep. Thomas Massie, whom Trump has dubbed “the worst Republican Congressman.”
He’ll also be in the district of another Republican Congressman who has broken ranks with his party and president – most recently by voting to require congressional authorization for Trump’s Iran war.
Trump will visit Reading, Ohio, a Cincinnati suburb, this week to tout his administration’s new program that aims to lower prescription drug costs. When new districts take effect in November, Reading will be part of Rep. Warren Davidson’s redrawn 8th Congressional District.
Davidson, a Republican congressman who’s served since 2016, has often backed Trump. Last year, he introduced a bill directing the National Institutes of Health to study the roots of “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” a term used by Trump supporters to dismiss the president’s critics as irrational.
But in recent months, Davidson has clashed publicly with Trump’s administration on social media and in the House chamber.
It’s unclear whether Davidson will attend Trump’s Reading event at Thermo Fisher Scientific, a pharmaceutical and biotechnology company. The Enquirer emailed and called the congressman’s media team about the event and his stance on the Iran war but did not get a response. The U.S. House is not scheduled to be in session this week.
Davidson was one of 2 Republicans to vote against Iran war
The House voted down a war powers resolution March 5 that would have stopped military action in Iran unless Congress approved it. Davidson and Massie, of Kentucky, were the only two Republicans who voted for it.
Davidson, who represents much of Hamilton and Butler counties in Greater Cincinnati, signaled skepticism about the Iranian conflict days before the vote on social media.
On March 2, the Troy Republican shared an old X post from conservative influencer Charlie Kirk who warned, in April 2025, that a regime-change war against Iran would be a “catastrophic mistake.”
“America First was supposed to be a rejection of the globalist war machine,” Davidson added. “I look forward to seeing the intelligence the administration found so persuasive, then voting.”
He also posted on X that he does not support a regime-change war.
In a statement after the vote, Davidson said only Congress, not the president, can declare war.
“Congress has not authorized this war, which is why I voted for the Iran War Powers Resolution,” he said. “President Trump set the gold standard for fighting terror groups in his actions against ISIS. There were clear objectives, focused execution, and proper authorization. His objectives in Iran are just as clear, and they should be backed by congressional authorization.”
Davidson jabbed Bondi on X over Epstein investigation
Davidson, who voted in November to release the Epstein files, joined other politicians in criticizing Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Department of Justice’s handling of the investigation.
“Do not despair. ‘Don’t allow the sad sight of human injustice to sadden your soul; someday you will see the unfailing justice of God triumph over it,'” he wrote on X on March 9, quoting Saint Pio, an Italian priest. “Nevertheless, the Department of Justice is supposed to focus on justice. cc: @AGPamBondi.”
Weeks earlier, Davidson criticized Bondi on the day of her contentious hearing with the House Judiciary Committee.
“Call me crazy, but I expect the Attorney General to lead the Department of Justice and focus on JUSTICE,” he posted on X.
The congressman also reposted a popular X account that suggested Republicans will lose elections in 2028 over their handling of the Epstein investigation.
Davidson is the latest elected official to complain about a lack of transparency and action from the Department of Justice over the Epstein case, an ongoing issue that has caused some Trump supporters to turn on the administration.
Davidson voted against Big Beautiful Bill, then flipped
In 2025, Davidson voted against Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill because it didn’t do enough to cut the national deficit. But after White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt suggested Trump would like to see Davidson primaried, and after saying he spoke to Trump about the bill, the Ohio Republican flipped his vote to “yes.”
“I initially voted against the House’s version of this bill because I believed some areas needed improvement,” he said in a statement at the time. “Unfortunately, I’ve come to the conclusion that if Congress doesn’t pass the bill this time around, the Senate’s version will get even worse. Notable progress was made – AI surveillance removed, SALT costs $220 billion instead of $350 billion, Medicaid reforms are bigger – but other things got worse.”
“Republicans promise the American people they will fight for a smaller, more limited government,” he added. “We must uphold that commitment.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: In Cincinnati visit, Trump hits districts of two GOP rebels
Reporting by Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
