The rift between Donald Trump and Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has escalated into a public dispute, indicating a deterioration in the connection between the US president and one of his strongest advocates.
On Friday, Trump labeled Greene as “wacky” in social media remarks and stated she ought to be defeated in the upcoming elections next year. On Saturday, he referred to her as a “traitor.”
In recent days, Greene has questioned Trump’s commitment to “America First” and criticized his management of the Jeffrey Epstein documents.
This conflict arises as the House prepares to deliberate on the potential release of the documents to the public.
“All I see “Wacky” Marjorie do is WHINE, WHINE, WHINE!” Trump tweeted on Friday night, asserting that she turned against him after he advised her against running for governor or senator in her home state of Georgia.
“She has told numerous individuals that she is angry that I don’t answer her phone calls anymore,” Trump stated, adding: “I can’t take a ranting lunatic’s call every day.”
He vowed to support any Republican challenger who faces her in next year’s midterm elections, when she is up for reelection, before heightening his assault in social media posts on Saturday from his residence in Florida.
“Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Green [sic] is an embarrassment to our GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY!” he wrote.
These remarks follow several days of critiques from Greene, who has claimed that Trump is not doing enough to reduce costs for voters. She has also criticized his recent decisions in international conflicts and trade policies.
However, she has chiefly rebuked his strategy regarding the Epstein documents.
This shift is astonishing for a legislator who stood by Trump during various controversies, particularly during the Capitol riot in 2021 when Trump enthusiasts breached the US legislature in an effort to halt Trump’s election loss.
The US president also robustly supported Greene when she was accused of endorsing antisemitic conspiracy theories.
Greene is one of just four House Republicans who collaborated with Democrats in signing a discharge petition last week advocating for the release of the Epstein documents.
On Friday, Greene stated on X that Trump was attempting to prevent other Republicans from supporting the Epstein petition.
“He’s targeting me aggressively to set an example and intimidate all the other Republicans before next week’s vote to release the Epstein files,” she posted, adding: “It’s truly astonishing how hard he’s fighting to prevent the Epstein files from being made public, to the point he resorts to this.”
She returned to X on Saturday to assert that Trump’s actions had made her a target for threats “encouraged and provoked by the most powerful man in the world.”
“As a Republican, who consistently votes for President Trump’s legislation and agenda, his hostility towards me… is utterly shocking to everyone,” she wrote.
“I neither worship nor serve Donald Trump,” she remarked in one post.
Former Republican pollster and strategist Robert Moran indicated that it was evident the US president did not wish for the Epstein files to be made public and “is attempting to exert pressure” on Greene.
Mr. Moran expressed skepticism that the dispute would influence Trump’s popularity as the electorate remains deeply divided, but acknowledged that the documents would inevitably be released.
“Many of his supporters are doubtful of authority and thus demand accountability from power, and they are in favor of the release of these documents,” he added.
Trump has long encountered criticism from both sides of the aisle regarding his management of US Department of Justice documents associated with Epstein, the late financier and convicted pedophile.
Trump maintained a friendship with Epstein for many years but has asserted that they had a falling out in the early 2000s, two years prior to Epstein’s initial arrest. Trump has continually denied any impropriety related to Epstein.
