JEN PSAKI: Okay, let me just acknowledge that what I’m about to say is going to seem like a very weird place to start this show, but I promise you, it is relevant to one of the biggest stories of the day.

Okay, this is Jacqui Heinrich. She is a White House reporter over at the Fox News network. You may have seen her years ago questioning me from the briefing room. And last year, Fox News reporter again, you see her right there on your screen. Jacqui Heinrich got engaged to this guy on screen, Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania.

And that’s the moment after he popped the question there in a lavender field in France. It’s all very adorable.

Now, why am I telling you all of this? You’re like, what is happening right now? Because today, that Fox News reporter tried to ask the president of the United States a pretty straightforward question, and this is how he responded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FOX NEWS WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT JACQUI HEINRICH: Did you have a call with Prime Minister Netanyahu?

TRUMP: When her husband votes against me all the time. Can you imagine? I don’t know what’s with him. You better ask him what’s with him.

Her husband — she’s married to a certain congressman. He votes — he likes voting against Trump. You know what happens with that? Doesn’t work out well. I don’t know why he does.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PSAKI: OK, first off, as far as I know, Congressman Fitzpatrick is not quite Jacqui Heinrich’s husband yet. They’re getting married later this spring. But that’s beside the point.

The point here is this, Donald Trump is making not-so-veiled threats aimed at members of his own party who have the audacity to vote against his agenda.

Now, inside Trump’s mind palace, you could call it. He clearly believes he’s riding high after he ousted Republican Congressman Thomas Massie last night, after he ousted Republican Senator Bill Cassidy last week, and after he ousted several Republican state legislators in Indiana earlier this month.

He clearly feels great about all of the members of his own party he has managed to take out in the past month. I know it took $33 million to take out Massie, most expensive race in congressional history.

And now he’s expanding the battlefield of his Republican civil war. Though I would note threatening not just Republicans in ruby red districts who will be replaced by other Republicans, but Republicans like Brian Fitzpatrick, who represents a crucial swing district. Republicans are trying desperately to hold on to this November.

To put a fine point on it, I think you all get this. But if Trump takes out Brian Fitzpatrick, a Democrat takes that seat, not a Republican.

So, how did Brian Fitzpatrick take Trump’s not so veiled threat? Did he cower in fear from a president who is bragging about the foes he’s taken out from his own party? Well, here was Brian Fitzpatrick, just a just a few hours later, when he was asked about Trump’s new slush fund for Capitol rioters, a.k.a. the so-called anti-weaponization fund.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REPORTER: What do you make of this $1.7 billion fund for —

REP. BRIAN FITZPATRICK (R-PA): We’re going to try to kill it.

REPORTER: You’re going to try and kill it?

FITZPATRICK: Yeah.

REPORTER: Wow. OK. And how?

FITZPATRICK: Well, we’re considering legislative options. We’re going to write a letter to the A.G. to start, but we’re considering a legislative option.

REPORTER: OK.

FITZPATRICK: We’re trying to unpack exactly, you know, what the legal machinations are, but can’t do that.

REPORTER: Right. Have you ever heard of any other Americans other than Trump and his associates?

FITZPATRICK: I haven’t — I have not.

REPORTER: – unauditable by the IRS?

FITZPATRICK: I’ve never heard that.

REPORTER: OK. So would that be part of the legislative?

FITZPATRICK: Of course. Of course. Yeah. You can’t do that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

PSAKI: Yeah, you can’t do that. Pretty clear. That’s what I’ve been saying. That’s what a lot of people have been saying.

But Brian Fitzpatrick does not sound at all scared of Trump’s threats. That was not a fearful guy. But before you give him any sort of profile in courage award, you should know that Brian Fitzpatrick represents a district that Joe Biden won by three and a half points. He knows that no matter how much Trump thumps his chest, no matter how many times he threatens him, the people who he really has to fear are the general election voters in his district.

Those are the people who have the power to take him from congressman to unemployed husband of a much younger Fox News reporter. That’s almost certainly why today, Congressman Fitzpatrick sent a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, demanding answers about Trump’s new slush fund for Capitol rioters.

And Congressman Fitzpatrick isn’t just some random member of congress trying to pick a fight with Trump. He sits on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, which has oversight of the — over the IRS. So he will have ample opportunity, potentially to demand more answers about this fund.