U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick held a town hall Thursday. Constituents gave him an earful

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U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick holds a town hall meeting Feb. 20, 2025, to a capacity crowd of 500 attendees — many angry about actions of the not-yet-1-month-old Trump administration.

Credit: Sarah Kallis / GPB News

ROSWELL, Ga. — Republican U.S. Rep. Rich McCormick held a town hall in Roswell, Ga., Thursday evening where a large group of constituents voiced their displeasure with recent actions of the Trump administration. 

A raucous crowd of over 500 packed Roswell City Hall and overflow rooms for McCormick’s event. Many of the attendees expressed frustration and anger with President Donald Trump and McCormick’s support for him.

McCormick generally defended the president's policies on tariffs and immigration while offering his own positions, such as his co-sponsorship of what he said was a bipartisan bill addressing backlogs on legal paths to immigration.

"I want you to become a citizen," McCormick said in reply to a high school senior who said he was an immigrant.

Trump’s use of executive power and Elon Musk’s role in the government were common concerns.

"They've been indiscriminate and taken a chainsaw to" various federal agencies, said one attendee of the administration's actions. "Why is the supposedly conservative party taking such a radical and extremist and sloppy approach to this?"

McCormick at least partially agreed on one point.

"I don’t think executive privilege should be as strong as it is," McCormick said. "I think we’re out of balance right now. ... And whether you like it or not, I’m the closest thing you have to a representative.”

McCormick, who represents part of Atlanta’s northern suburbs, won his district in 2024 with over 60% of the vote.