Details have leaked of a private phone conversation between President Donald Trump and the under-siege Republican Max Miller.
Miller, a two-term congressman, has been accused of domestic abuse by his ex-wife, Emily Moreno, the daughter of Sen. Bernie Moreno, another Ohio Republican.
The allegations against the Trump-endorsed lawmaker, which also involve his young daughter, may cost him his congressional seat as he faces major backlash from constituents, even being labeled a “predator” by voters.
Trump, 80, phoned Miller on Monday and expressed his doubts over his candidacy, three sources familiar with the call told Axios.
The president told Miller—who worked as a presidential aide in the first Trump White House—that “things aren’t looking good,” and repeatedly said his re-election would be tough.
“He said he had a poll with no detail, and I pushed back with our poll that has us winning by 9 with our message out there,” Miller told The Wall Street Journal, explaining that Trump had told him his prospects of winning weren’t good.
“He kept on reiterating it’s going to be tough, and it’s going to be a really hard one for you,” Miller said.
Ohio’s 7th District should be a reliably red seat, with Trump winning 55 percent of the vote in 2024. Miller won his last election with just over 51 percent of the vote.
But Miller was neck-and-neck with his Democratic opponent, Brian Poindexter, even before the abuse allegations surfaced. On Sunday, the New York Times reported that Miller is just 1 percentage point ahead of Poindexter.
During his phone call with Trump on Monday, Miller, who has denied the allegations of abuse involving his ex-wife and their child, told the president that he is staying in the race.
He also claimed his own polling demonstrated he was in “solid shape.”
The reports of the private conversation follow Trump refusing to weigh in on the serious allegations against a candidate he personally endorsed.
They include claims that Miller pointed a gun at Emily’s head, threw her against the wall, poured hot water on her, and potentially fractured their 2-year-old daughter’s collarbone.
On Sunday, Trump merely said, “So far, it’s accusations, I’ll be looking at it.”
Trump added on Monday that Miller’s situation was “a very sad thing.”
“I know Max, he’s a good person, I mean I always thought he was a very good person. And I’m going to let the families figure that out,” he said. “It’s accusations. And I’m going to let them figure that out.”
As Miller and Emily Moreno’s bitter custody battle over their daughter has seen the allegations against Miller make national news, Bernie Moreno had remained largely silent.
Sources close to Moreno told CNN that he wanted to speak out previously, but was asked not to by his daughter.
When Miller accused Emily Moreno of having mental health issues and lying during their custody battle in a 20-minute livestream on Sunday, it provoked her father into responding.
“I believe Max Miller needs to seek professional help to end the clear pattern of abuse he has left in his wake. I believe he should not be free to continue endangering others until he does,” the MAGA Republican said.
“He is a danger to my daughter, and I hold my breath every minute he has custody of my granddaughter,” Moreno wrote on X.
“If there are any basic standards of character required to hold elected office, Max Miller fails them. He should not serve in the House of Representatives.”
The Daily Beast has contacted the White House and Miller’s rep for comment.
