In a stunning political reversal, outgoing US Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has publicly detailed her complete break from the MAGA movement and former President Donald Trump, confessing she was "naive" to ever believe in him.
A Political Awakening and a Stinging Rebuke
In a lengthy profile published by The New York Times on Monday, the firebrand Georgia Republican, who will leave Congress on 5 January, reflected on her disillusionment. Greene stated she had once viewed Trump as a "man of the people," but her views had since "matured."
"I was just so naïve and outside of politics that it was easy for me to naïvely believe [in him]," Greene told the newspaper. Her change of heart stemmed from witnessing what she described as darker aspects of Trump's character.
She highlighted two pivotal moments: Trump's remarks at the funeral of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and his response to a threat against her family. At the memorial service, Trump told a crowd, "I hate my opponent and I don’t want what’s best for them," a statement Greene condemned as showing "where his heart is."
Policy Rifts and Personal Regrets
Greene's criticisms extend beyond the personal into policy. She has emerged as a leading Republican critic of US support for Benjamin Netanyahu’s government in Israel and the siege of Gaza. She lamented Trump's back-to-back meetings with Netanyahu and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Mar-a-Lago, tweeting, "Can we just do America?"
She argues Trump prioritises foreign policy over a domestic agenda aimed at cutting costs and addressing the economic woes of the voters who elected him over Kamala Harris in 2024. Greene also defied Trump on the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Expressing regret, Greene suggested she recognises her own role in politics becoming a "toxic wasteland." She told The Times, "Our side has been trained by Donald Trump to never apologise and to never admit when you’re wrong... And as a Christian, I don’t believe in doing that."
The Inevitable Split and Future Battles
Political observers suggest the feud was long overdue. Greene has been a source of embarrassing headlines for the GOP, notably for past conspiracy theories. The rift appears solidified by Trump's political manoeuvring.
Greene confirmed that Trump's longtime pollster, Tony Fabrizio, commissioned a survey showing her losing a potential 2026 Senate race by double digits and was seemingly working for a would-be opponent. While Greene denied Trump urged her not to run, Fabrizio's loyalties were seen as a sign.
Trump has retaliated, attacking Greene as "crazy" and claiming he considered backing a primary challenger in her district before she chose to resign. Her departure will leave Speaker Mike Johnson with an even slimmer majority in the House.
