Marjorie Taylor Greene Breaks With Trump Over Epstein Files, Urges GOP Focus on Economy/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is calling out President Trump for focusing on blocking Epstein file releases instead of tackling inflation and healthcare. The Georgia Republican warns her party could lose the 2026 midterms if it fails to address Americans’ financial pain. The internal GOP rift highlights growing tension over the party’s post-Trump direction.
Quick Look:
- Who: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.)
- What: Criticizes Trump for prioritizing Epstein file suppression over economic issues
- Why it matters: Greene says GOP will lose the 2026 midterms unless they pivot to affordability and healthcare
- Key quote: “The five-alarm fire is healthcare and affordability for Americans. And that’s where the focus should be.”
Marjorie Taylor Greene Breaks With Trump Over Epstein Files, Urges GOP to Refocus on Economy
Deep Looks
Key Points:
- Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) publicly criticized President Donald Trump for focusing on blocking the release of the Epstein files, calling it a political misstep.
- Greene says the GOP must shift focus to affordability and healthcare ahead of the 2026 midterms or risk losing to Democrats.
- Trump, responding to her dissent, said Greene has “lost her way.”
- The two once staunch allies are now on opposite ends of a growing internal GOP divide.
Greene: GOP Priorities Are “Insanely Off Course”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once a vocal supporter of President Trump, is now sounding the alarm: if Republicans don’t quickly pivot to issues like healthcare and cost of living, they’ll hand Democrats a win in 2026.
“It’s insanely the wrong direction to go,” Greene told POLITICO. “The five-alarm fire is health care and affordability for Americans. And that’s where the focus should be.”
Greene’s comments come as the Trump administration continues to push back against a bipartisan effort in Congress to force the release of Jeffrey Epstein’s files. While Trump has called the move a distraction, Greene argues the real distraction is the White House itself, failing to respond to everyday economic pain.
Greene’s Warning to Republicans
Greene insisted her criticism isn’t about undermining Trump, but about saving the party.
“This is me wanting my party to do something to win and deliver for the American people,” she said. “If we want voters to send us back in 2026, we have to focus on what matters to them.”
The Epstein Files Dispute
Greene is one of three Republicans who signed onto Rep. Thomas Massie’s (R-Ky.) discharge petition to force the Justice Department to release sealed documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. The petition has now crossed the 218-signature threshold, which will likely bring the issue to the House floor next week.
Other signatories include Reps. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) and Nancy Mace (R-S.C.), who were reportedly contacted by the Trump White House in an attempt to remove their names. Greene confirmed she received no such request.
“Releasing the Epstein files is the easiest thing in the world,” Greene said. “Support the victims. Let the American people see everything. It’s just common sense.”
White House Response
The Trump administration pushed back on Greene’s remarks. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson criticized Greene’s positioning as contradictory.
“Complaining about affordability while supporting a Democrat-fueled distraction over Epstein is an unusual choice,” Jackson said. “The president remains focused on lowering costs and improving lives.”
Trump also addressed Greene directly, telling reporters:
“I don’t know what happened to Marjorie. Nice woman. But she’s lost her way.”
A Deepening Rift in the GOP
This public fallout comes as the Republican Party faces an identity crisis over its core priorities post-Trump. While Trump has emphasized foreign policy victories and ending wars abroad, Greene argues those aren’t winning issues for voters in 2026.
She has particularly criticized Trump’s meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, calling it a betrayal of the America First movement.
“I’m America first. I’m 100% for my country, no other country,” Greene said. “That’s what people thought they voted for in 2024.”
She added that Republicans’ poor performance in last week’s elections was a direct result of abandoning domestic-focused, populist policies.
Greene’s Midterm Forecast: “Democrats Would Win”
Greene was blunt when asked about the GOP’s current trajectory.
“If I had to call the midterms today, Democrats would win,” she said. “I don’t see how we win the midterms on the course we’ve been set on so far.”
What’s Next
The vote on the Epstein discharge petition is expected to hit the House floor soon, with Trump warning Republicans not to support it:
“Only a very bad, or stupid, Republican would fall into that trap,” he wrote on Truth Social.
Whether Greene’s rebellion gains traction — or isolates her further from Trump’s GOP — remains to be seen. But her message is clear: focus on Americans’ wallets, not political sideshows.
Takeaways:
- Greene is emerging as a rare Republican critic of Trump, particularly on economic issues.
- The Epstein file release has become a flashpoint for deeper GOP tensions.
- With the 2026 midterms approaching, the battle over the party’s direction is heating up.
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