President Trump arrives after being greeted by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to address a joint session of Congress at the Capitol in Washington on March 4.
Alex Brandon/AP
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Alex Brandon/AP
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., once one of President Trump's strongest supporters in Congress, called his foreign policy “not America's first position” and said his recent attacks on it could “put my life at risk.” Greene and Trump have traded barbs over the past few days over the future of the Make America Great Again movement, raising new questions about the president's firm grip on the Republican Party.
Friday Trump starred his support for the Georgia lawmaker, who called her “stupid” and said Greene's recent criticism of him had everything to do with his refusal to support her future political ambitions. On Saturday, Trump called her a “traitor” on social media. mail.
“He called me a traitor, and that is extremely wrong,” Greene said in an interview with CNN. State of the Union with Dana Bash on Sunday. “And these are the words that can turn people against me and put my life in danger.”
When asked about her previous attacks on political opponents — such as in 2020, when she posted an image of a gun next to a group of progressive Democratic congresswomen — Greene apologized.
“I think that’s a fair criticism,” Green said. “And I would like to humbly say that I am sorry for the involvement and toxic politics. This is very bad for our country.”
During the wide-ranging interview, Greene also criticized Trump's recent defense of the H-1B visa program, which allows companies to sponsor foreign-born workers to obtain skilled labor. During an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, Trump said the U.S. needs to “attract this talent” and said the country doesn't have enough of it.
“This is not America's first position,” Greene said Sunday, before expressing dissatisfaction with his frequent trips abroad. “And continuing to travel around the world does not help Americans at home. “I really — and I said it to him and I’ll say it out loud — I wish Air Force One was parked and left at home.”
Despite her break with Trump, local GOP leadership in Georgia's 14th Congressional District supports Greene.
“The recent national criticism leveled at Congresswoman Greene does not change the fundamental truth that she serves the direction of the people of this district,” Chairman Jim Tully wrote in a statement. Facebook Saturday. “While the President of the United States represents the nation as a whole, Congresswoman Greene represents the people of Northwest Georgia, and she has done so with clarity, determination and integrity.”
This public split between Greene and Trump marks a brewing rift in the Republican Party. When asked what caused the split, Greene pointed to the battle over the release of documents related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Unfortunately, it all came down to the Epstein files, and it’s shocking,” Green said.
The Georgia lawmaker said she doesn't believe Trump was involved in the files.
The House is set to vote on whether to release documents related to the Epstein investigations this week after enough members signed on to a dismissal petition filed by Reps. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky.
On ABC News Sunday, Massie warned his fellow Republicans that voting against releasing the files would tarnish their long-term political future — even if Trump attacks them in the short term.
“In 2030, he won’t be president and you will vote to protect pedophiles,” Massey said. “This voting record will last longer than Donald Trump's presidency.”
