Trump denounces Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene after she announces resignation

Former President Donald Trump on Saturday issued a sharp rebuke of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene one day after the Georgia Republican said she will leave Congress early next year. In posts on his social media platform and in a subsequent interview, Trump accused Greene of disloyalty, criticized her political standing and suggested he would back a challenger for her House seat.

Greene, who was first elected in 2020 and has been one of Trump’s most visible allies on Capitol Hill, disclosed late Friday that her final day representing Georgia’s 14th District will be Jan. 5. The announcement followed an extended public dispute with the former president over a bipartisan bill requiring the U.S. Department of Justice to release previously sealed files related to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. Greene supported the measure; Trump resisted it until shortly before it cleared Congress.

Trump’s response on social media

At about 1 a.m. Saturday, Trump posted on Truth Social that “Marjorie went BAD,” calling her “Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown” and faulting her for what he described as plummeting poll numbers. He asserted that she was resigning to avoid a primary contest that would feature a Trump-endorsed opponent. The former president also cited her cooperation with Rep. Tom Massie, a Kentucky Republican who sponsored the Epstein records bill, labeling Massie “the WORST Republican Congressman in decades.”

“For some reason, primarily that I refused to return her never-ending barrage of phone calls, Marjorie went BAD,” Trump wrote in the post. He nevertheless added, “I will always appreciate Marjorie, and thank her for her service to our Country.”

Bill on Epstein documents

The legislation at the center of the dispute directs the Justice Department to make public investigative files connected to Epstein, who died in federal custody in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. The measure passed the House in a near-unanimous vote this week and cleared the Senate without opposition. Trump, who had initially opposed the bill, signed it into law after its congressional approval. Full text and legislative history are available on Congress.gov.

Comments in television interview

Speaking with NBC News later Saturday morning, Trump said Greene’s prospects inside the Republican Party “are not going to be easy” following her resignation. “She’s got to take a little rest,” he added, while noting he could “patch up differences with anyone.” Last week Trump publicly declared that he would support “the right person” to challenge Greene in the 2024 GOP primary for her district.

Greene’s resignation statement

In her statement released Friday, Greene said she would not subject her family or her constituents to a primary campaign that she anticipated would be heavily financed by Trump’s political operation. “I have too much self-respect and dignity, love my family too much, and do not want my sweet district to have to endure a hurtful and hateful primary against me by the President we all fought for,” she wrote.

Greene also addressed the Epstein legislation directly, saying that supporting a measure to release records about “American women who were raped at 14, trafficked and used by rich powerful men” should not prompt the president to label her a traitor. “I refuse to be a ‘battered wife’ hoping it all goes away and gets better,” she added.

Longtime ally turned critic

Greene has been one of Trump’s most vocal defenders in Congress, backing his challenges to the 2020 election results and aligning herself with his policy positions. She regularly appeared at Trump rallies, was a fixture in conservative media and helped raise funds for candidates he endorsed. Her abrupt break with the former president underscores internal divisions within the Republican Party as it prepares for the 2024 elections.

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Trump’s criticisms centered on Greene’s collaboration with Massie, whom he compared to Sen. Rand Paul and accused of voting against “really good legislation.” Massie has frequently bucked GOP leadership on fiscal and civil-liberties issues. Greene, in turn, has defended her work with Massie, arguing that transparency regarding the Epstein case transcended party lines.

Next steps for Georgia’s 14th District

Greene’s resignation will create a vacancy in a strongly Republican district spanning northwest Georgia. State officials have not yet detailed plans for a special election. Potential candidates have begun assessing the race, and Trump’s anticipated endorsement is likely to shape the field. Until Jan. 5, Greene indicated she will continue constituency services and legislative duties.

Neither the House Republican leadership nor the Republican National Committee immediately commented on Greene’s departure or Trump’s statements. Massie also has not responded publicly to the former president’s criticism.

With the bill on Epstein documents now law, the Justice Department faces a timeline for releasing the materials. Congressional aides said implementation details will become clearer once the department outlines its compliance strategy.

Greene’s exit marks the latest high-profile shift in a House GOP conference already facing retirements and primary challenges ahead of the next cycle. Her departure, coupled with Trump’s ongoing influence, highlights the fluid landscape within the party as lawmakers navigate policy disputes and reelection pressures.

Crédito da imagem: Alyssa Pointer | Reuters