Republican Rep. Mark Alford carefully navigated a town hall in rural Missouri on Monday night, at times putting some distance between himself and President Donald Trump when confronted by constituents angry with the president’s policies and funding cuts.
“I’m not the best of friends with Trump,” he said at one point. “I met him maybe five or six times.”
Despite a number of contentious back-and-forths, however, the event went off with minimal heckling or raised voices.
It was a change in pace from other in-person town halls held by Republicans this August, such as one hosted by Rep. Doug LaMalfa in California filled with yelling and cursing.
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Although Alford praised Trump’s efforts where he could, including on immigration and meeting with European leaders in Washington, the congressman also suggested he didn’t agree with all of Trump’s agenda.
Earlier on Monday, Alford heard from constituents concerned that cuts to the Department of Veterans Affairs could affect their health care. He responded by saying that some cuts to the federal workforce were a “mistake,” KSHB 41 reported. Alford also said he supports the National Guard patrolling the District of Columbia’s streets, but that the administration shouldn’t “be sending National Guard into other cities” unless the governor asks, referencing Kansas City and St. Louis.
Alford also expressed concern with the way in which cuts to Medicaid in Congress’ recently passed budget law were now affecting rural hospitals.
“We’re helping rural hospitals with projects right now. I’m sure we’ll get into that tonight about the Medicaid issues and how rural hospitals are hurting, because they’re losing some of this money,” Alford said. “We are trying to make up for some of that with some of the projects we’re bringing back to Missouri.”
When Alford was answering questions about his stance on the war between Ukraine and Russia, one constituent asked if he had told Trump that he believed Russia was the aggressor. Alford said he’d never heard Trump say Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy was the aggressor.
“I don’t have a close personal relationship with President Trump where I can go on the Oval Office and say, ‘Look, president, I hope you know that President Vladimir Putin is the aggressor.’”
Earlier in the event, Alford more pointedly put distance between himself and Trump after asking constituents to raise their hands if they had voted for Biden or Trump — and concluding there were slightly more Biden voters in the audience.
Alford then suggested there was nothing he could do to change Trump’s point of view — and when honesty failed, Alford tried kindness.
“You need to take your head out of Trump’s ass and start doing your representation of us,” one constituent named Fred told Alford.
“Did you say your name’s Fred?” Alford responded. “Fred, thank you so much, and I appreciate your passion and your love for our country.”
It was apparent that Alford was prepared to hear some harsh comments. Former Missouri Gov. Mike Parson spoke on stage at the beginning of the event Monday night and addressed potential protesters before any heckling even started.
“If they are here tonight, they won’t be from here. They don’t care anything about what you’re doing here tonight. They’re just here to create attention,” Parson said.
Monday’s event was part of a town hall spree planned by Alford, despite Rep. Richard Hudson, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, telling members earlier this year not to hold in-person town halls.
The Missouri Republican is set to host 15 town halls over a few days in his large red district that covers the mostly rural area to the south and east of Kansas City.
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