Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican whose meteoric rise in Congress was fueled by her alliance with President Donald Trump, said Friday she will resign from office in January, ending a tumultuous five-year tenure marked by controversy, confrontation and, most recently, a dramatic split with the president who once championed her.
Greene announced her decision in a social media post, days after Trump labeled her a “traitor” and threatened to back a primary challenger in her strongly conservative district. She said she wanted to spare her constituents a bitter intraparty fight and predicted Republicans would lose their House majority in next year’s midterm elections.
“I have too much self-respect and dignity, love my family way too much, and do not want my sweet district to have to endure a hurtful and hateful primary,” Greene wrote.
Trump renewed his criticism Saturday, again calling her a “traitor” on Truth Social and claiming she stepped aside because her poll numbers were “plummeting.” Still, he said he was open to reconciling with the congresswoman, telling reporters, “Sure, why not? I mean, I get along with everybody.”
Greene said in a CNN interview that she has recently faced threats against her life following Trump’s attacks. She also apologized for her own “toxic” rhetoric over the years, remarks that drew national outrage and contributed to her removal from the House Freedom Caucus last year.
Her departure will immediately complicate Speaker Mike Johnson’s efforts to manage a narrow GOP majority heading into a crucial legislative year. Greene played an outsized role inside the conference despite frequent clashes with her colleagues and incendiary comments that drew reprimands from both parties.
First elected in 2020, Greene became known for promoting conspiracy theories and for past statements endorsing violence against Democratic lawmakers. In 2021, the Democratic-controlled House stripped her of committee assignments over her rhetoric, including comments suggesting the Sandy Hook and Parkland school shootings were staged.
In a notable turn, Greene recently praised former Speaker Nancy Pelosi in an interview, saying she was “very impressed” with Pelosi’s ability to get legislation passed.
Greene’s break with Trump deepened in recent weeks as she criticized him for focusing too heavily on foreign policy and not doing enough to advance his domestic agenda. She also sided with Democrats on preserving costly Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire next month and became one of the White House’s fiercest critics over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case files. Trump ultimately signed a transparency measure into law this week following bipartisan pressure.
Her future plans remain unclear. Once floated as a potential Senate candidate, Greene currently has no intention of seeking another office, a person close to her said.
Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican and close ally, praised her after the announcement. “She embodies what a true Representative should be,” he wrote on X.
Greene’s exit marks one of the most dramatic political reversals of Trump’s second term, from trusted confidante to outspoken critic, and signals another turbulent chapter ahead for the Republican-led House.
