Trump Cuts Ties with ‘Wacky’ Marjorie Taylor Greene over Epstein Files/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Donald Trump has publicly broken with Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, labeling her “wacky.” Their fallout follows months of political divergence and Greene’s shift away from hardline MAGA stances. Trump now vows to support a challenger against her in 2026.
Trump-Greene Fallout Quick Looks
- Trump labels Rep. Greene “wacky” and says he’ll back a challenger.
- Greene fires back, accusing Trump of lying and silencing her.
- Disagreements have intensified over policy focus and party strategy.
- Greene’s recent media appearances suggest a political repositioning.
- Trump slams Greene for “complaining” and not backing his foreign agenda.
- The Epstein files controversy appears to have sparked the final break.
- Greene criticizes Trump’s handling of domestic vs. foreign priorities.
- This marks a major fracture within the MAGA movement’s inner circle.
Deep Look
Trump Ends Alliance With Marjorie Taylor Greene, Signals Support for New Challenger
President Donald Trump has officially distanced himself from Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, once one of his most outspoken and loyal allies in Congress.
Labeling her as “‘Wacky’ Marjorie,” Trump announced his intent to support a primary challenger in the upcoming 2026 midterm elections—if “the right person runs.”
The fallout is the latest in a string of growing ideological and personal rifts between the two once-aligned figures. Greene, who rose to prominence through her unapologetic defense of Trump’s policies and her hardline MAGA credentials, has recently been shifting her tone and political focus. That evolution has drawn repeated criticism from Trump and culminated this week in his public break.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed that Greene had become “Far Left,” complaining that all she does now is “COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN!” He also mocked her for allegedly being upset over his lack of returned phone calls, stating, “I can’t take a ranting lunatic’s call every day.”
Greene wasted little time firing back. In a message posted on X (formerly Twitter), she said Trump had “attacked me and lied about me,” including a screenshot of a text she said she had sent him earlier about the upcoming House vote on releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files. She implied that her push for transparency on the Epstein matter triggered Trump’s reaction.
“What’s astonishing,” she wrote, “is how hard he’s fighting to stop the Epstein files from coming out.” She characterized his response as evidence that he’s trying to suppress the truth for political reasons.
The clash highlights a deeper ideological and strategic divide within the Republican Party. Once a reliable foot soldier for Trump’s MAGA movement, Greene has increasingly found herself at odds with both party leadership and the former president himself. During the recent federal government shutdown, she criticized GOP leaders for lacking a plan to support Americans losing health care subsidies. Her remarks were interpreted by some as a step toward a more populist, independent brand of conservatism.
Trump’s latest comments also follow Greene’s critiques of his foreign policy priorities. Last week, she told NBC News that Trump should focus more on domestic economic issues, such as inflation, rather than globe-trotting diplomacy. “Watching the foreign leaders come to the White House through a revolving door is not helping Americans,” she said.
Trump responded by suggesting Greene had “lost her way.” Speaking to reporters during a flight from Washington to Florida, Trump said, “Something happened to her over the last month or two.” He justified his recent trip to China to meet Xi Jinping by citing its impact on American jobs, especially in Georgia, arguing that his actions helped prevent harmful restrictions on magnet exports.
He also claimed to have received calls from people interested in challenging Greene in the upcoming election, remarking, “She’s lost a wonderful conservative reputation.”
The rift between Trump and Greene has been building for months. In May, Greene announced she would not run for U.S. Senate against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff, citing hostility from GOP donors and consultants who doubted her electability. A month later, she sided with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson after Trump called him “kooky,” deepening an emerging divide between MAGA loyalists and more hawkish Republicans over U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East.
In July, Greene announced she wouldn’t run for Georgia governor, denouncing what she described as a corrupt “good ole boy” political network. More recently, she’s been seeking broader media exposure, appearing on platforms not traditionally friendly to MAGA figures. Her October appearance on comedian Tim Dillon’s podcast and subsequent visits to shows like “The View” and HBO’s “Real Time with Bill Maher” signaled a calculated shift in image.
On “The View,” co-host Sunny Hostin remarked, “I feel like I’m sitting next to a completely different Marjorie Taylor Greene.” Joy Behar quipped, “Maybe you should become a Democrat, Marjorie.” Greene replied, “I’m not a Democrat. I think both parties have failed.”
In her rebuttal to Trump’s criticisms, Greene noted that she had sacrificed significant time, money, and effort to support him, even when other Republicans distanced themselves from him. “I don’t worship or serve Donald Trump,” she wrote. Her words marked a definitive turning point in the once-tight alliance.
This high-profile split is emblematic of broader shifts within the Republican Party. With Greene seeking a new identity beyond Trump’s shadow, and Trump tightening control over MAGA’s future, the coming election cycle may reveal just how deep the fractures in the GOP truly run.
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