ATLANTA (AP) – Just days after President Donald Trump publicly criticized her, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene from Georgia announced her resignation from Congress, effective January 5. Greene's exit will mark the conclusion of a tumultuous five-year tenure in Washington, characterized by her transformation from political outsider to a brief period of influence during House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's leadership. Although Trump's return to the White House seemed to promise new opportunities for Greene, her mounting grievances led to a fracture in their relationship.
This article provides an overview of Greene's background and highlights significant moments throughout her contentious career in Congress.
Where did Greene come from?
Before entering the political realm, Marjorie Taylor Greene had limited political engagement. Alongside her husband, she managed a commercial contracting firm purchased from her father and later opened a CrossFit gym in suburban Atlanta. During the 2016 presidential campaign, she began sharing videos and commentary online, which primarily revolved around conspiracy theories. Greene controversially suggested the 2017 Las Vegas mass shooting was a plot to garner support for gun control and promoted the belief that the U.S. government had orchestrated the September 11 attacks.
In 2018, Greene filmed a video at the U.S. Capitol where she claimed that Muslim Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib were not "official" members of Congress because they swore in on Qurans instead of Bibles.
How did she get elected?
In 2020, Greene entered the political arena by competing in a crowded Republican primary for a congressional seat in suburban Atlanta. However, following the retirement announcement of the incumbent in the Republican-favored 14th District of northwest Georgia, Greene shifted her focus to that race. Her campaign was marked by open sympathies for QAnon, a conspiracy theory about a global cabal involved in heinous crimes against children. After securing the Republican nomination in a runoff, Greene won the general election when her Democratic opponent, Kevin Van Ausdal, withdrew from the race.
How was she received in Congress?
Greene's more inflammatory rhetoric came to light only after her election. One notable claim involved the assertion that the California wildfires were initiated by a laser beam from space controlled by the Rothschild banking family, often summarized as "Jewish space lasers" due to antisemitic overtones. The Democratic-led House quickly removed Greene from her committee assignments, citing her dissemination of violent conspiracy theories, a decision that even saw support from eleven Republicans.
Despite her lack of committee roles, Greene capitalized on her situation by raising millions of dollars in small donations, using her provocations to gain further attention. Notably, she and two other Republican House members sued House Speaker Nancy Pelosi after being fined for not wearing masks on the House floor during the COVID-19 pandemic. When Republicans regained the House majority in 2022, Greene allied herself with McCarthy, earning back her committee roles and becoming one of his closest advisers.
Greene's time in Congress was marked by numerous confrontations with Democrats, including clashes with Texas Democratic Rep. Jasmine Crockett and heckling President Joe Biden during his State of the Union address.
How did Greene fall out with Trump?
As Trump campaigned for his second term, Greene was a key supporter and frequently appeared with him at rallies. However, their relationship began to deteriorate, particularly after Greene announced she would not run for the Senate against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff, with Trump claiming to have informed her that polling indicated she had no chance in the race. Greene also opted out of running for Georgia governor, criticizing a political establishment she labeled a "good ole boy" system that threatened Republican dominance in the state.
She started to take public stances that contradicted Trump, calling Israel’s actions in Gaza "genocide" against Palestinians and advocating for the release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Additionally, she critiqued Republican leadership over the recent federal government shutdown, demanding a more strategic approach to issues like expiring health insurance subsidies.
Greene referred to her political philosophy as "America first, America only," implying that Trump was losing focus on domestic concerns. As her criticisms of Trump intensified, he expressed frustration and suggested he would support a primary challenger against her. Eventually, he labeled her a "traitor," which coincided with Greene’s announcement of her resignation just a week later.
