President Donald Trump is known for demanding unquestioning loyalty from his closest associates, and in the case of one ostensibly conservative lawmaker, that loyalty is alienating him from an unexpected group — other conservatives.
Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) is reportedly being considered for expulsion from the House Freedom Caucus, the self-proclaimed keepers of the flame of conservative Republicanism and a group that takes pride in parting ways with Trump on issues like excess spending. Yet their criticism of Gill is more pragmatic.
“Members say Gill benefited from introductions to HFC donors but hasn’t adequately financially supported fellow members in difficult races,” reported Axios’ Kate Santaliz on Thursday. “‘For those of us who have been in meetings, who have been in the tough votes over the last two years, he’s been M.I.A.,’ one HFC member said, adding that he’s ‘totally looking for the ladder climbing.'”
Not surprisingly, the pro-Trump Gill is benefiting from the backing of House Trump supporters.
“Gill has become a favorite in President Trump’s orbit, has won praise from GOP leadership and has launched an ambitious bid to head one of the House’s most powerful committees,” Santaliz reported. “Asked about the criticism from Gill’s colleagues, Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) flatly told Axios in an interview earlier this month that Gill ‘needs to be out front. I don’t care where it is,’ adding, ‘Brandon is the future of our party, and his communication skills are phenomenal.'”
In the past, Gill has aroused controversy for various reasons.Founder of the far right news blog DC Enquirer, Gill was described by hate group expert Jared Holt in 2025 as harbinger for the next generation of Republican politicians ready to replace current GOP members as they vacate their positions: flush with powerful backers, savvy to social media and eager to deliver on the internet-poisoned daydreams of today’s conservative movement.” He described Gill’s ideas as those of the mainstream MAGA movement including his having hawked “anti-immigrant talking points, derided ‘diversity hires,’ echoed far-right memes, shared nonsense about immigrants eating pets and pressed for mass deportations.”
Also in 2025, Gill defended Trump’s imperialistic overtures toward Greenland by saying that America has the right to conquer nations like Denmark (which owns Greenland).
“Listen, President Trump is bringing us into a golden age of America,” Gill told Keilar. “This is the new manifest destiny. Acquiring — reacquiring the Panama Canal, acquiring Greenland, renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, this is the light of America expanding.”
He added, “We have a very clear strategic interest geopolitically both in Greenland and in the Panama Canal. The Panama Canal, as you know, was created with the blood, toil, tears, and sweat of American citizens. We put an enormous amount of money into it. I don’t think we ever should have relinquished control of the Panama Canal.”
Also in 2025, Gill seemed to befuddle CNN’s Jake Tapper when he explained that he believes “Sesame Street” spread dangerous propaganda.
“What I don’t think the government should be doing is funding these institutions that are radically left wing and are oftentimes, even in their cartoon shows, geared towards young children, promoting far left ideologies that are not teaching children how to read but are teaching them the trans agenda and other things that large portions of our country do not agree with,” Gill told Tapper.