Former President Donald Trump has publicly severed ties with one of his most loyal MAGA supporters, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, dismissing her as "'Wacky' Marjorie" and threatening to endorse a challenger against her in next year's midterm elections.
The Final Break in MAGA Alliance
The dramatic dismissal marks the culmination of a simmering dispute that has been developing for months as Greene has gradually moderated her political stance. The three-term Georgia congresswoman, once the embodiment of MAGA loyalty who even wore Trump's signature red cap during President Joe Biden's 2024 State of the Union address, has increasingly distanced herself from Republican leadership.
Trump accused the Georgia Republican of moving "Far Left" and wrote that all he had witnessed from Greene recently was "COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN!" In a particularly sharp personal jab, Trump referenced Greene's alleged frustration about unreturned phone calls, stating: "I can't take a ranting Lunatic's call every day."
Epstein Files Dispute Sparks Public Clash
Greene responded forcefully on social media platform X, claiming Trump had "attacked me and lied about me." She included a screenshot of text messages she said she sent to the former president earlier that day about releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files, which she claimed "is what sent him over the edge."
In her Friday response, Greene expressed astonishment "how hard he's fighting to stop the Epstein files from coming out that he actually goes to this level." The reference came ahead of next week's U.S. House vote concerning the release of Epstein-related documents.
The congresswoman emphasized her extensive support for Trump, writing that she had backed him "with too much of my precious time, too much of my own money, and fought harder for him even when almost all other Republicans turned their back and denounced him." She concluded with a definitive statement: "I don't worship or serve Donald Trump."
Growing Rift Over Policy and Priorities
The public break follows widening fissures that emerged after this month's off-cycle elections, where voters in New Jersey and Virginia governor races favored Democrats primarily over cost-of-living concerns.
Last week, Greene told NBC News that "watching the foreign leaders come to the White House through a revolving door is not helping Americans," suggesting Trump should focus on domestic price issues rather than foreign affairs. Trump responded by saying Greene had "lost her way."
Earlier on Friday, while traveling from Washington to Florida, Trump reiterated his belief that "something happened to her over the last month or two." He defended his foreign policy approach, particularly his recent meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, arguing that without such engagement, China would have maintained export restrictions on magnets that would have hurt jobs in Georgia and elsewhere.
Trump revealed that multiple people have expressed interest in challenging Greene, adding pointedly: "She's lost a wonderful conservative reputation."
The discontent between the former allies dates back to at least May, when Greene announced she wouldn't challenge Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff while criticizing GOP donors and consultants. The rift widened in June when Greene publicly supported Tucker Carlson after Trump called the commentator "kooky" during disagreements over potential U.S. efforts regarding regime change in Iran.
The tension intensified further in July when Greene declined to run for governor and attacked what she described as a political "good ole boy" system that she claimed endangered Republican control in Georgia.
Recently, Greene has embarked on a charm offensive through media appearances targeting audiences beyond hardcore Trump supporters. During an October appearance on comedian Tim Dillon's podcast, when asked about a potential 2028 presidential run, Greene said, "I hate politics so much" and expressed that she just wanted "to fix problems" without giving a definitive answer.
This outreach culminated with appearances on Bill Maher's HBO show "Real Time" and ABC's "The View" on November 4, where some observers noted her more moderate tone as she criticized Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson for not recalling Republicans to Washington to address healthcare concerns.
During her "The View" appearance, co-host Sunny Hostin remarked, "I feel like I'm sitting next to a completely different Marjorie Taylor Greene," while Joy Behar suggested, "Maybe you should become a Democrat, Marjorie." Greene responded firmly: "I'm not a Democrat. I think both parties have failed."
