THE GREAT PRETENDER

A fake campaign loan could have ended Andy Ogles' push for MAGA fame. Then Trump won again.

- Noah Lanard

REP. ANDY OGLES has achieved a difficult feat: In a GOP House caucus known for sycophancy, the second-term Tennessee Republican has become President Donald Trump's most cloying lackey. Since January, Ogles has introduced a bill to “Make Greenland Great Again,” moved to amend the Constitution so Trump (but not Barack Obama) can run for a third term, and filed articles of impeachment against two federal judges who have ruled against the president. On social media, he defends Trump loudly, if poorly. The congressman told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after his contentious White House visit to head his “little a$$ back to Europe!!!”

From the perspective of Ogles' dignity, the most charitable explanation for his behavior is that he is legislating with a gun to his head. During the 2022 run that brought him to Washington, Ogles reported making a $320,000 loan to his campaign, which he later admitted did not exist—a potential felony. Last summer, FBI agents seized Ogles' cellphone from him at his home. The possibility of an indictment loomed. But a week after Ogles introduced his bill to let Trump seek reelection, the Trump Justice Department pulled prosecutors and put the case on ice.

Still, Ogles performs his loyalty with an enthusiasm indicating ambitions beyond legal protection. In interviews and on social media, he appears desperate to capture the fame of MAGA celebrities like Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).