U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) salutes former U.S. President Donald Trump during a rally in Commerce, Georgia, U.S. March 26, 2022.
Alyssa Pointer | Reuters
President Donald Trump on Saturday reacted to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene‘s surprise resignation announcement, saying, “Marjorie went BAD.”
Trump once again called the Georgia Republican a “traitor,” referencing Greene’s alliance with Republican Rep. Tom Massie of Kentucky, who sponsored the bill demanding the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files by the Justice Department.
Greene, who had been a close ally of Trump for years, cited backlash from the president over her advocacy for the bill in her statement, saying that her last day in the House of Representatives will be Jan. 5.
“Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Brown, because of PLUMMETING Poll Numbers, and not wanting to face a Primary Challenger with a strong Trump Endorsement (where she would have no chance of winning!), has decided to call it ‘quits’ ” Trump wrote early Saturday in a Truth Social post.
“Her relationship with the WORST Republican Congressman in decades, Tom Massie of Kentucky, also known as Rand Paul Jr. because he votes against the Republican Party (and really good legislation!), did not help her,” Trump said.
“For some reason, primarily that I refused to return her never ending barrage of phone calls, Marjorie went BAD,” he wrote.
“Nevertheless, I will always appreciate Marjorie, and thank her for her service to our Country.”
Trump had opposed the bill ordering the release of the Epstein files until the last minute. This week, the bill passed the House in a nearly unanimous vote and passed the Senate unanimously. The president then signed it into law.
Trump spoke with NBC News later Saturday morning about Greene, saying, “It’s not going to be easy” for her to have a future in Republican politics.
“I would like to see it,” Trump told NBC.
“She’s got to take a little rest,” he said.
“I can patch up differences with anyone,” Trump said when asked if he believes he can reconcile with Greene.
Trump last week said he would support “the right person” if they challenged Greene in the Republican primary next year for her seat representing Georgia’s 14th District.
In her resignation statement on Friday night, Greene wrote, “I have too much self respect and dignity, love my family too much, and do not want my sweet district to have to endure a hurtful and hateful primary against me by the President we all fought for, only to fight and win my election while Republicans will likely lose the midterms.”
“And in turn, be expected to defend the President against impeachment after he hatefully dumped tens of millions of dollars against me and tried to destroy me,” Greene said.
“I refuse to be a ‘battered wife’ hoping it all goes away and gets better.”
“Standing up for American women who were raped at 14, trafficked and used by rich powerful men, should not result in me being called a traitor and threatened by the President of the United States of America, whom I fought for.”