Gohmert suspects Priebus authored Trump anti-Freedom Caucus tweet

House Freedom Caucus member Louie Gohmert said he suspects White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus authored President Trump's Thursday tweet threatening the HFC with 2018 political repercussions, and he warned that wiping out the faction could hurt Trump eventually.

Gohmert, R-Texas, said Trump may regret the tweet, since many of the same lawmakers came to his defense when others attacked him.

"I hope the president will realize the friends his tweet condemns are actually the ones that stood by him and were very vociferous in defending him in October when all of the Republican elected leaders in the House were abandoning him," Gohmert said.

"So, I hope he'll remember and realize if he weakens and hurts those who stood with him when our leadership was coming after him, we may not be around to help him during future assaults, which I think could be at the bottom of some of the demonizing of conservatives in the House."

Trump on Thursday tweeted "we must fight," the Freedom Caucus in the 2018 elections, "if they don't get on the team & fast."

The HFC comprised the majority of "no" votes that last week sunk a bill to repeal and replace Obamacare, a major campaign promise made by Republicans and Trump.