Marjorie Taylor Greene’s path from MAGA powerhouse to sudden resignation
She was once President Donald Trump’s most loyal Georgia warrior, the congresswoman who declared he won the 2020 election, fought fiercely for his policies and styled herself as the embodiment of his political movement.
Now U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is stepping down from office after a bitter political divorce with the man who once branded her a “future Republican star.”
The falling-out has raised broader questions about Trump’s ability to carry out his agenda and helped to trigger the most significant rupture yet in his political coalition.
Here’s a timeline of the meteoric rise of the congresswoman known to many simply by her initials: MTG.
August 2020: ‘Future Republican star’
Once viewed as a long-shot, Greene emerges as the frontrunner in the race for a deep-red northwest Georgia seat despite a history of hateful comments and a past belief in the convoluted QAnon conspiracy theory. Though some Republicans denounce her, most of Georgia’s GOP elite stay neutral. Trump, meanwhile, labels her a “future Republican star” after she captured the party’s nomination.
November 2020: ‘Worst nightmare’
Greene coasts to victory in a ruby-red seat with no serious opposition after her Democratic opponent abruptly quit. She frames herself as an unwavering Trump defender and the “worst nightmare” for Democrats — and any Republicans who would defy her. She quickly becomes a sought-after endorsement for other pro-Trump candidates.
January 2021: Trump defender
During the Senate runoff campaign, Greene amplifies Trump’s false claims of a stolen election and backs GOP efforts to object to Electoral College results.
Early 2021: The ’Trump won’ freshman
At her swearing-in in Congress, Greene wears a “Trump Won” mask and quickly becomes one of his loudest defenders as Democrats move toward impeachment over the pro-Trump mob that attacked the Capitol on Jan. 6.
February 2021: Removal
The U.S. House takes the unprecedented step of removing Greene from her committees over past violent and conspiratorial statements in a bipartisan vote. Though she walked back some of her more controversial remarks, she turns the demotion into a badge of honor, raising $3.2 million in her first months in office by presenting herself as a martyr for the Trump movement.
Late 2021: Symbol of Trumpism
A year into office, Greene has become one of the most polarizing politicians in the U.S, a stand-in for Trump’s brand of politics. Some party strategists worry she could weigh down the ticket in 2022, while others see her as a conservative champion. She continues to hold “Trump Won” rallies across the state.
Late 2022: GOP romp
Greene easily wins reelection as Republicans win every statewide vote with one exception: Herschel Walker’s Senate campaign. Greene partly blames his defeat on “the rudeness of campaign consultants” who worked to keep her off the campaign trail.
Early 2023: Restoration
With Republicans reclaiming the House, Greene is reinstated to committees. With a razor-thin majority, new House Speaker Kevin McCarthy makes a deliberate choice to keep her close. Greene’s influence grows as she becomes a surprising ally of the speaker on key votes and negotiations, positioning herself as a bridge between the hard-right faction and leadership. That coziness with McCarthy helps get her expelled from the hardline House Freedom Caucus.
August 2023: Trump surrenders
When Trump surrendered to authorities on election-interference charges in Atlanta, Greene made a high-profile appearance outside the Fulton County Jail — one of the only elected officials to show up in person — signaling her unwavering loyalty. “We’re going to stand up against the weaponized government,” she says.
March 2024: Remember Riley
As Trump seeks reelection, Greene helps organize his first Georgia stop of the general-election phase. At the rally in Rome, the loudest applause is for Greene, who whips up the crowd by involving the murder of Laken Riley. She also boasts of heckling Biden while wearing a red MAGA hat during his State of the Union address.
November 2024: Victory
After Trump wins Georgia and recaptures the White House, Greene says she’d help the president-elect more in Congress than his Cabinet.
Early 2025: Hairline cracks
Greene keeps pushing resolutions to expunge Trump’s impeachments and backs most of his agenda, but subtle fractures emerge. She breaks with him on key foreign-policy questions — especially U.S. support for Israel and Ukraine — and voices sharper disagreements over spending and economic priorities.
April 2025: Turbulent town hall
At her Cobb County town hall, Greene is repeatedly disrupted by demonstrators who jeer her embrace of Trump and his budget-cutting, government-shrinking initiatives. Two protesters are shocked with a Taser and at least six others are ejected, authorities said. “I’m glad they got thrown out. That’s exactly what I wanted to see happen,” Greene said after the event.
May 2025: Senate no go
Greene decides against running for U.S. Senate. Trump later says he personally warned her off the race because internal polling showed her stuck at 12%. She publicly bristles at the “generic Republicans”in the running and a Senate dominated by establishment figures too willing to compromise their values.
Late June 2025: War footing
While insisting there was no break between her and Trump, Greene says the president is “turning back on campaign promises” after the U.S. carried out military strikes on Iran.
July 2025: Gaza crisis
Greene becomes the first Republican in Congress to label the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza a “crisis,” contrasting with other GOP leaders who make supporting Israel in its conflict a cornerstone of their foreign policy.
September 2025: Epstein emerges
Greene signs a petition to compel the release of the files of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, sharpening her longstanding calls for Trump to fulfill a campaign promise.
October 2025: Shutdown showdown
Amid a record-long government shutdown, Greene leans more into an evolving “populist” persona and criticizes Republicans for refusing to extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. She also pursues a media charm offensive with appearances on mainstream platforms like “The View,” “Real Time with Bill Maher” where she recalibrates her views.
November 2025: Epstein erupts
After House Democrats release a trove of Epstein emails, Greene accuses them of “political smears” against Trump. But she tells CBS News the president’s opposition to their release is a “huge miscalculation.”
Nov. 14, 2025: Trump pulls the plug
Trump posts on social media that he’s cutting ties with Greene shortly after she says she texted him to “lean into” the release of the files. He calls her “wacky,” accuses her of going “far left,” and vows to back a primary challenger “if the right person runs.” Key local Republicans rally around Greene, while others float potential challenges.
Nov. 16, 2025: ‘Put down the knives’
In another striking shift, Greene tells CNN she regrets her history of inflammatory rhetoric and is trying to “put down the knives in politics.” Trump escalates the feud by branding the lawmaker “Marjorie Traitor Greene” — one of his harshest labels yet.
Nov. 18, 2025: MAGA earthquake
The House votes overwhelmingly to release the Epstein files, hours after Trump reversed years of opposition to support the move. Greene frames the moment as vindication. “Watching this actually turn into a fight has ripped MAGA apart.”
Nov. 21, 2025: Stepping down
In a stunning move, Greene abruptly announces her resignation in a roughly 10-minute video, saying she has “always been despised in Washington, D.C., and just never fit in.” She says she doesn’t want her “sweet district to have to endure a hurtful and hateful primary” against her, adding that her last day in office will be Jan. 5, 2026.
About the Author
Greg Bluestein is the Atlanta Journal Constitution's chief political reporter. He is also an author, TV analyst and co-host of the Politically Georgia podcast.
