Disagreements between Donald Trump and Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene have escalated into a public dispute, signaling a breakdown in relations between the US president and one of his fiercest defenders.
On Friday, Trump called Greene “crazy” in social media posts and said she should be unseated in next year’s election. On Saturday he called her a “traitor.”
In recent days, Greene questioned whether Trump still put “America First” and criticized his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The dispute comes as the House is about to consider whether to make the records public, and Speaker Mike Johnson said he would put the bill to a vote next week.
Known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act, the goal of the bill is to have the justice department release all unclassified records, documents, communications and investigative materials linked to Jeffrey Epstein.
The American media Politico reported that the vote could take place on Tuesday.
“The only thing I see ‘crazy’ Marjorie doing is COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN!” Trump posted Friday night, claiming she turned on him after he suggested she shouldn’t run for governor or senator in her home state of Georgia.
“She has told a lot of people that she is upset that I no longer return her phone calls,” Trump said, adding, “I can’t take a call from a ranting lunatic every day.”
She vowed to back any Republican opponent who faces her in next year’s midterm elections, when she runs for re-election, before escalating her attacks in social media posts Saturday from her home in Florida.
“Marjorie ‘Traitor’ Green [sic] “It is a shame for our GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY!” he wrote.
The comments follow days of criticism from Greene, who has said Trump is not doing enough to reduce costs for voters. He also denounced his recent decisions in foreign conflicts and tariff policies.
But she has been highly critical of his approach to handling Epstein’s files.
The shift is notable for a lawmaker who supported Trump through multiple scandals, most notably the 2021 Capitol riot, when Trump supporters stormed the US legislature in an attempt to block Trump’s election defeat.
The US president also vigorously defended Greene when she was accused of promoting anti-Semitic conspiracy theories.
Greene is one of four House Republicans who joined Democrats in signing a discharge petition calling for the release of Epstein’s files last week.
On Friday, Greene posted on X that Trump was trying to stop other Republicans from voting in favor of Epstein’s petition.
“He’s after me with all his might to make an example and scare all the other Republicans before the next few weeks vote to release the Epstein files,” he posted, adding, “It’s really amazing how hard he is fighting to keep the Epstein files from coming to light and that it actually goes to this level.”
She returned to X on Saturday to say that Trump had made her the target of threats “prompted and incited by the most powerful man in the world.”
“As a Republican, who votes overwhelmingly for President Trump’s bills and agenda, his assault on me… is completely shocking to everyone,” he wrote.
“I neither worship nor serve Donald Trump,” he wrote in a post. “I worship God, Jesus is my savior and I serve my district GA14 and the American people.”
Former Republican pollster and strategist Robert Moran said it was clear the US president did not want Epstein’s files made public and “is trying to put pressure” on Greene.
Moran doubted the dispute would affect Trump’s popularity since the electorate was so divided, but said it was inevitable that the files would eventually come to light.
“Many of their voters are skeptical of power and that is why they want power to be held accountable and support the disclosure of these files,” he added.
