Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced her impending resignation final night time. We look at what led to the Georgia Republicans’ resolution and what it would imply for his or her occasion’s slender Home majority.
SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
Considered one of President Trump’s most outspoken critics in Congress says they’re leaving. Marjorie Taylor Greene says she’s going to resign from her seat within the Home within the new yr. The Georgia Republican was as soon as among the many president’s fiercest champions, however they fell out over releasing the Epstein information. NPR’s Stephen Fowler has coated Marjorie Taylor Greene’s profession. He joins us now from Atlanta. Thanks a lot for being with us.
STEPHEN FOWLER, BYLINE: Good morning.
SIMON: What appears to have prompted her resolution to resign?
FOWLER: Nicely, Greene put out an 11-minute video late Friday night time that particulars the arc of her practically 5 years in Congress. She outlined her path because the embodiment of Trump’s MAGA motion, touted payments she handed and causes she championed. However primarily, there was this pervasive disappointment with the president, her occasion, the management of the Home and the state of American politics.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE: Individuals are utilized by the political industrial advanced of each political events election cycle after election cycle with a view to elect whichever aspect can persuade Individuals to hate the opposite aspect extra. And the outcomes are at all times the identical.
FOWLER: Mainly, she says she was elected to control, and govern is one factor that Congress is not doing.
SIMON: After all, not too long ago, President Trump referred to as Marjorie Taylor Greene a traitor for supporting the discharge of the Epstein information. Then he signed the invoice into regulation this week. How does the determine of Epstein play into their relationship?
FOWLER: Nicely, since Trump returned to workplace, there’ve truly been plenty of insurance policies and positions which have garnered criticism from some Republicans, particularly Greene, who stated they don’t seem to be within the spirit of America first. When the U.S. bombed Iran, there was MTG asking how the overseas coverage push benefited conservative America-first views. She referred to as Israel’s struggle in Gaza a genocide and has criticized America’s assist of Israel as not being America-first. Trump’s financial insurance policies, tariffs, importing Argentine beef to try to decrease home costs – properly, you get the concept.
And on the Epstein information entrance, Trump’s marketing campaign promise to launch the information associated to his life and dying and the quite a few methods the president stonewalled the discharge this yr earlier than in the end relenting this week is one other issue. Here is what she stated in her video.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
GREENE: Standing up for American girls who have been raped at 14 years outdated, trafficked and utilized by wealthy, highly effective males mustn’t lead to me being referred to as a traitor and threatened by the president of america, whom I fought for.
FOWLER: Scott, this was principally the final straw.
SIMON: You talked about her disappointment with Congress. Republicans, in fact, maintain a slender majority there. Did that appear to issue into her resolution?
FOWLER: Completely. January 5, the day she’ll resign, is true earlier than the Home returns to work in 2026. Republicans do have a slender majority for now, and Greene hints that it is not getting used to control correctly and that she does not anticipate that majority to final. There’s additionally a wholesome dose of criticism in her assertion about Speaker Mike Johnson maintaining the Home out each earlier than and through the federal government shutdown and never doing something, like addressing well being care subsidies.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)
GREENE: The Home ought to have been in session working each day to repair this catastrophe. However as a substitute, America was force-fed disgusting political drama as soon as once more from each side of the aisle on tv each single day.
FOWLER: It isn’t simply Marjorie Taylor Greene that desires to get out of Washington, Scott. She’s considered one of a file 40 Home members and 10 senators – largely Republicans – who’ve indicated they do not plan to return to their seats after the 2026 election, becoming a member of plenty of different lawmakers who’re retiring or working for a special workplace.
SIMON: Does Marjorie Taylor Greene’s resolution point out something – ‘trigger you cowl this beat – concerning the broader course of the Republican Get together now?
FOWLER: Nicely, it is not only a one-off struggle with a member of Congress. Marjorie Taylor Greene is a canary within the coal mine for the state of the Republican Get together. The Republicans suffered defeats up and down the poll on this month’s elections. Financial headwinds will not be of their favor. And Greene has put a really seen dent within the beforehand impenetrable armor that’s Trump’s management over the GOP and its future. There was at all times going to be questions on what a post-Trump Republican Get together would appear like. We’re now simply seeing that sooner and messier than Republicans would’ve hoped for.
SIMON: NPR’s Stephen Fowler. Thanks a lot.
FOWLER: Thanks.
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