In a remarkable about-face, former President Donald Trump has expressed his desire to see Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene stage a political comeback, mere hours after branding her a "traitor" following her surprise announcement to leave Congress.
From 'Traitor' to Comeback Hope
During a brief interview with NBC News on Saturday, Trump was questioned about the Republican lawmaker's future after she unexpectedly revealed plans to resign from Congress in early 2026. The announcement came amid their very public split that has captivated American politics.
Trump acknowledged that "it's not going to be easy for her" to fight her way back into the political arena, but stated unequivocally, "I'd love to see it." He tempered his support with practical advice, noting that for the immediate future, "she's got to take some rest."
When pressed on whether the once-strong relationship between the political allies could ever be repaired, the former commander in chief displayed characteristic confidence, asserting: "I can patch up differences with anyone."
The Dramatic Split Unfolds
The controversy erupted when Greene released a ten-minute video on Friday announcing her impending departure from Congress. According to NBC sources, neither Trump nor House Speaker Mike Johnson had prior knowledge of her decision.
"Everyone in the world found out at the same time," revealed a source close to Greene, highlighting the surprise nature of the announcement.
In her lengthy video statement, Greene branded the president "hateful" for withdrawing his endorsement - a move that prompted Trump to immediately fire back by labelling her a "raging lunatic."
The Georgia representative cited her growing frustration with Washington's political establishment and her campaign to release the controversial Epstein files as central reasons for the feud with her former close ally.
Death Threats and Political Pressure
Sources familiar with the situation revealed that Greene's decision wasn't driven by political competition, but rather by the alarming string of death threats targeting both her and her children in recent weeks, connected to the Epstein files controversy.
In a social media post last week, Greene disclosed that private security firms had contacted her with safety warnings. She wrote: "A hot bed of threats against me are being fueled and egged on by the most powerful man in the world. The man I supported and helped get elected."
Greene expressed particular concern about how "aggressive rhetoric attacking me has historically led to death threats and multiple convictions of men who were radicalized by the same type rhetoric being directed at me right now."
The lawmaker drew parallels between her situation and that of Epstein's victims, stating: "As a woman I take threats from men seriously. I now have a small understanding of the fear and pressure the women, who are victims of Jeffrey Epstein and his cabal, must feel."
Greene confirmed that her final day in Congress would be January 5, 2026 - notably, just two days after her congressional pension becomes fully vested. An anonymous source told NBC that "she very much looks forward to one day go out in public and not be harassed in restaurants and airports and be on the face of every TV channel."
The insider added: "It's safe to say she'll probably take a step back and be a private, normal person again."
From Best Friend to 'Traitor'
Trump's Saturday comments about welcoming Greene's potential return to politics marked a dramatic shift from his initial reaction hours earlier, when he launched a scathing attack on the renegade Republican via Truth Social following her resignation announcement.
He branded Greene a "traitor" who only turned against him because he "refused to return her never ending barrage of phone calls." Floating the nickname "Marjorie 'Traitor' Brown," Trump claimed her decision to leave Congress was motivated by "PLUMMETING Poll Numbers."
The former president suggested Greene didn't want to face "a Primary Challenger with a strong Trump Endorsement," asserting that "she would have no chance of winning!"
Despite the harsh criticism, Trump concluded: "Nevertheless, I will always appreciate Marjorie, and thank her for her service to our Country! President DJT."
The public break between Greene and Trump initially emerged earlier this year over the White House's handling of the 'Epstein files' release, with Greene joining other rebel Republicans including Representative Thomas Massie in crossing party lines.
Trump specifically cited Greene's partnership with Massie in his Truth Social post, describing him as "the WORST Republican Congressman in decades" and noting that their relationship "did not help her."
Shortly after Greene's resignation video appeared, Trump called into ABC News to celebrate her decision to leave office, stating: "I think it's great news for the country. It's great."
In response to Trump's fiery comments, a private source told NBC: "She was one of his biggest allies in Congress and she never really turned her back on him. She stood up for him when no one else in the House would."
The source added: "It was disappointing to her to see that, but she's not someone who, when she sees things she disagrees with, would turn a blind eye to that."
Despite the very public feud, Greene's supporters remain steadfast. Debbie Dyer, 60, who works at a carpet company, told NBC News: "She has a lot of courage and tells it like it is."
For months following their dramatic falling out over the Epstein files, Greene maintained that she remained a devoted Trump supporter. She also expressed deep frustration with her own party's inability to achieve meaningful results despite controlling both the presidency and Congress in 2025.
Greene lamented: "Almost one year into our majority, the legislature has been mostly sidelined, we endured an eight week shutdown wrongly resulting in the House not working for the entire time, and we are entering campaign season which means all courage leaves and only safe campaign re-election mode is turned on."
