Growing Tensions Over Trump Policies and Elon Musk’s Role Rise Amongst Republicans
Two Republicans faced vastly different reactions at town hall events last week — one in deep-red Wyoming, the other in North Carolina’s liberal enclave of Asheville. The events underscored mounting unease among voters, even in Republican strongholds, as Trump’s second term unfolds and Elon Musk’s government influence expands.
Chuck Edwards Meets Fierce Backlash in Asheville
U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards walked into a storm in Asheville, North Carolina, where a crowd of around 300 filled a college auditorium — and more than 1,000 protesters gathered outside. Within minutes, the Thursday night town hall descended into boos, heckling, and chants. Edwards tried to keep the peace.
“Let me answer and then if you don’t like it, you can boo or hiss or whatever you’d like to do,” he told the crowd before diving into a defense of Trump’s trade policies. It didn’t help. The crowd erupted again within seconds.
Rep. Chuck Edwards talks during a town hall in Asheville, N.C. on Thursday, March 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Makiya Seminera)
For over 90 minutes, Edwards fielded expletives, interruptions, and sharp questions about Trump administration decisions. Topics ranged from slashing government agencies and veterans’ services to the future of Medicare, Medicaid, and U.S. support for Ukraine.
When asked about Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Edwards stood by the administration, saying Trump and Musk were “over the target” with their agenda.
Still, the crowd wasn’t buying it. Many demanded answers about FEMA’s potential elimination — a particularly raw topic in a region still recovering from Hurricane Helene’s devastation, which left more than 100 dead in North Carolina and caused nearly $60 billion in damage.
Edwards opened the town hall by highlighting recovery efforts but was shouted down when he linked progress to Trump’s policies. One person was escorted out after yelling profanities. Others simply demanded, “Listen to us now!”
Despite the chaos, Edwards remained composed. “I take away from what I heard today that we’re doing exactly what the American people sent us to Washington D.C. to do,” he told reporters, even as chants echoed outside.
Hageman Faces Softer but Serious Concerns in Wyoming
Meanwhile, in Evanston, Wyoming — a staunchly Republican town near the Utah border — Rep. Harriet Hageman got a different kind of reception. Roughly 250 people filled a room at the restored Union Pacific Railroad roundhouse on Friday night. The tone was calmer, but questions were still pointed.
Many in attendance, though loyal to Trump, voiced concerns about Elon Musk’s increasing power in Washington. Hageman described Musk as a “special government employee” with top-secret clearance and praised his efforts to cut foreign aid contracts at USAID, calling the agency a “monstrosity and waste of money.”
Still, even Hageman acknowledged some of Musk’s proposals may go too far — particularly cuts to the U.S. Postal Service. Wyoming, with its rural population, would be hit especially hard by the plan to eliminate 10,000 USPS jobs.
Former Wyoming Secretary of State Karl Allred supported spending cuts but urged broader scrutiny. “I guarantee we waste a lot of money [in the military], and in every department,” he said.
Republicans Feel the Heat Over Musk’s Expanding Role
Backlash is mounting, even from Republicans, over the direction Trump’s government is taking — especially with Elon Musk at the helm of DOGE. Some worry Musk’s sweeping cuts could alienate key parts of the GOP base.
In Kansas, Sen. Roger Marshall recently had to shut down a town hall early when attendees erupted over proposed staffing cuts.
In Evanston, Hageman’s supporters remained civil, but questions about Musk’s role and the future of federal agencies made it clear: even in MAGA territory, not everyone is comfortable with the speed or scope of change.
Speaker Johnson Urged Republicans to Skip Town Halls — They Didn’t Listen
House Speaker Mike Johnson warned GOP lawmakers to avoid public forums, claiming organized protests would derail them. But both Edwards and Hageman ignored that advice. Edwards said he didn’t want to “shy away” from his constituents — even if many disagreed with him.
That decision gave a raw look at how Trump’s second term and Musk’s influence are landing in different corners of America. Whether it’s jeers in Asheville or quiet doubts in Wyoming, Republicans are learning that support for the administration isn’t as simple as red and blue.
