Marjorie Taylor Greene is leaving for now, but never say never
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene ran for Congress in 2020 to fix a system she believed failed to deliver for the people.
President Donald Trump, in her opinion, was the solution, but he needed more allies like her in office to make good on his promises.
“I was very disgruntled with Republicans in Congress,” she said during an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday. “Which is ironic, because I’m once again, literally, in the same boat: disgruntled with Republicans in Congress.”
Greene’s frustrations largely fall in two buckets. She is not a fan of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership. And she believes Trump has failed to implement many of the “America First” policies he campaigned on last year.
But her decision to resign from Congress — her last day is Jan. 5 — came only after Trump decided he had enough of Greene not falling in line, particularly when it came to supporting release of the Epstein files. The final straw came when he called her a “traitor” and a “lunatic.”
The Rome Republican said there are parts of the job she will miss: helping get earmarks in the federal budget for projects in her district’s rural counties, advocating for business development in Dalton and other areas, and meeting people at town halls and assisting in their time of need.
But she said none of that was worth her peace of mind in the face of increased threats and harassment she said she and her family experienced after Trump attacked her in recent weeks.
“At what cost do I have to give for this job?” she asked. “I love my district, love the people. I have enjoyed good accomplishments here and could do a lot more, but it has come to a place where the bar has been set too high. It’s like, what is the point?”
Greene arrived in Congress appearing to relish the fight. When Democrats stripped her of committees because of past offensive remarks, she boasted that it freed her up to travel the country speaking to her far-right base. She shouted “liar” at President Joe Biden during a State of the Union speech and had verbal altercations with colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
She also faced criticism for speaking at events tied to white nationalist Nick Fuentes and killed Christian nationalist Charlie Kirk, and defended discredited conspiracy theorist Alex Jones.
Over the years, she distanced herself from her most controversial statements and said her time in Congress has given her a new perspective. Today, she says she regrets participating in what she now calls “toxic politics” and believes hyperpartisan politics allow Republicans and Democrats to perennially fail voters.
Greene said she does not plan to weigh in on the contest to succeed her, which will include a special election early next year followed by the regular election in the fall. There is likely to be a crowded field of Republicans vying for the seat in the heavily conservative 14th Congressional District in northwest Georgia.
Greene said she has no plans to seek office again, even though there is an open race next year for governor and a highly visible Republican contest to determine who will challenge U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff. She also is not considering a run for president in 2028.
But that doesn’t mean she will stay gone forever. Last week, days after her resignation announcement, she attended a community meeting in Murray County to oppose a proposed biowaste plant. The crowd cheered as she cursed at the company’s representatives.
Greene, who has 7 million followers between two accounts on X (formerly Twitter) and nearly 2 million more on Facebook, has a level of visibility and notoriety that has only increased in recent weeks.
She said she never aspired to become a household name in politics and is looking forward to retreating to private life, but she will use her voice when she thinks it is needed.
“I like to help people fight for good things. I do,” she said. “That will never change. And if I can make a difference — it’s always to me about making a difference and just helping the people.”
“So, maybe I don’t know what I’m gonna do, and I know it’s hard for the political world to imagine someone actually just saying, ‘OK, I’m done,’ and stepping away. I know that’s hard for people to understand.”
About the Author
Tia Mitchell is the AJC’s Washington Bureau Chief and a co-host of the "Politically Georgia" podcast. She writes about Georgia’s congressional delegation, campaigns, elections and the impact that decisions made in D.C. have on residents of the Peach State.
