A pro-Trump consultant has been uninvited from speaking at a Montana GOP convention over his vocal criticism of Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-MT), fanning tensions between the congressman and allies of the former president.

On Friday, the Montana Republican Party announced that Alex Bruesewitz, who has close ties to Donald Trump Jr., would be the keynote speaker at its winter kickoff, a two-day, grassroots training event that will be held in February. 

The invitation prompted blowback from officials aligned with Rosendale, according to multiple state legislators and several emails reviewed by the Washington Examiner. 

Bruesewitz has been critical of Rosendale for weeks, painting him as a MAGA “poser” funded by the Democrats. That criticism, Bruesewitz says, is partly based on Rosendale’s perceived “disloyalty” to former President Donald Trump. 

But Rosendale allies say Bruesewitz has ulterior motives and wants entrepreneur Tim Sheehy to win a Montana Senate race that Rosendale is expected to enter in March.

The invitation prompted a wave of emails, text messages, and phone calls, according to one source familiar with the matter, and members of the party executive board were also “not thrilled.”

Bruesewitz’s invitation was finally rescinded on Monday, according to multiple sources, over the controversy. The Montana GOP did not respond to a request for comment.

State Sen. Barry Usher, the treasurer of the Montana Freedom Caucus, voiced his opposition within hours of the invitation announcement on Friday, copying hundreds of local officials on an email to the state party.

And the caucus, which is aligned with Rosendale, voted as a whole to send a letter to the Montana GOP expressing its dissatisfaction, according to its chairwoman, state Sen. Theresa Manzella.

Rosendale, for his part, denied involvement in the pushback. “I’ll be honest with you. I don’t even know who this guy Alan is,” he told the Washington Examiner on Monday. “I’ve had my hands full with productive work.”

Yet Bruesewitz framed the opposition as another mark against Rosendale as Trump allies fume over what they consider to be his late endorsement of the former president’s 2024 run.

“He’s partaking in leftist cancel culture tactics against a Trump ally in a pro-Trump state, which is just bizarre, idiotic, and, quite frankly, uncalled for,” he said.

Bruesewitz planned to focus on Trump’s candidacy in his speech, he said, as well as the importance of Montana to Republicans’ hopes of winning back the U.S. Senate.

The invitation did not sit well with Rosendale allies, however, who interpreted it as the state party breaking its pledge of neutrality in the race.

Usher acknowledged his support for Rosendale but insisted the pushback was a matter of principle. “I do not care if you are for Rosendale or Sheehy, this is wrong, our state GOP should NOT get involved with primary races,” reads his email to the Montana GOP.

Bruesewitz told the Washington Examiner he supports the “most pro-Trump and pro-America First candidate in every race,” noting Sheehy endorsed Trump before Rosendale.

The dustup is the latest sign of trouble ahead for Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He wants Sheehy to face Sen. Jon Tester (D-MT) in November, a path complicated by Rosendale’s expected entry into the race.

But it’s also a sign of Rosendale’s worsening relationship with Trumpworld. 

The rift began when Rosendale declined to take Trump’s call in January as one of the last holdouts to Kevin McCarthy’s speakership on the House floor. His October endorsement of Trump, which came after months of speculation, fractured the relationship further.

Predictably, the convention snub has already caught the attention of Trumpworld.

“Rosendale has already proven himself to be disloyal to President Trump, and now attacking his allies who are loyal, I just don’t think that’s going to go over very well,” said one Trump ally, who noted the former president campaigned for Rosendale during his unsuccessful Senate run in 2018.

“I think this is only going to really exacerbate his problems in Trumpworld,” the ally added.

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Rosendale has repeatedly stoked speculation he will mount a second run. Over the weekend, he attended events in the state with conservative firebrand Matt Gaetz (R-FL).

The Washington Examiner previously reported that he is eyeing a launch date just before the March 11 filing deadline.