Jonathan Bachman/AP
Donald Trump at a rally in Pensacola, Florida, last December.
- President Donald Trump launched an attack on the Koch brothers, political mega-donors with a history of supporting Republican and libertarian causes.
- The Kochs have started speaking out against Trump, and recently said they would now fund Democrats as well.
- Trump bashed the brothers as having bad ideas and being "overrated."
- But if the Koch network's reversal swings the November midterm elections to the Democrats, Trump could find himself staving off calls for impeachment.
President Donald Trump launched an attack on the Koch brothers - powerful political mega-donors with a long history of supporting Republican and libertarian causes - after the billionaires spoke out against Trump's divisive White House.
Charles Koch, who remains in business after his brother, David, took a step back due to health issues in June, recently distanced himself from Trump's policies and bashed his protectionist economics.
"The urge to protect ourselves from change has doomed many countries throughout history," Koch said in a video shown to a gathering of Koch network donors in Colorado Springs, according to the Wall Street Journal.
"This protectionist mind-set has destroyed countless businesses."
This is not the first time that the Koch network has sought to use its political influence to push back against Trump.
The Kochs offered millions in campaign funding to Republicans who voted against "Trumpcare" last year, and spoke out against Trump's "zero tolerance" policy at the border which saw young migrant children separated from their parents.
But recently, Koch opened up to the possibility of funding Democratic candidates as they try to take both houses of Congress in November.
With months to go before a crucial Senate election in North Dakota, the Koch network has not offered any funds to the Republican candidate.
In the clearest sign of an about-face at the Libertarian-leaning Koch network, the billionaires funded a study that found that a medicare-for-all plan by Democratic Socialist Bernie Sanders would save the US $2 trillion over the course of a decade. Sanders thanked the Koch network by name.
Trump, on Tuesday, sounded off on the recent shift in the Republicans' base of power.
The globalist Koch Brothers, who have become a total joke in real Republican circles, are against Strong Borders and Powerful Trade. I never sought their support because I don't need their money or bad ideas. They love my Tax & Regulation Cuts, Judicial picks & more. I made them richer. Their network is highly overrated, I have beaten them at every turn. They want to protect their companies outside the U.S. from being taxed, I'm for America First & the American Worker - a puppet for no one. Two nice guys with bad ideas. Make America Great Again!
Trump has consistently framed his policies as pro-worker, often citing GDP growth and job numbers at near-record highs to bolster his case, though the vast majority of economists say his policies could lead to ruin for some sectors of the economy.
Against an overall trend of rising employment, some sectors of the economy have felt the heat of Trump's trade war already.
Additionally, political insiders say that if Democrats win the House and Senate in November, Trump's legislative agenda could become sidelined as the Democrats discuss impeaching the president.