Marjorie Taylor Greene calls Trump’s attacks on her a “very poor reflection on him”

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene expressed sympathy for former President Trump, arguing he lacks self-awareness in his continued criticism of her after she challenged his positions on several key issues.

Greene Criticizes Trump’s Attacks

“I actually am starting to feel very sorry for President Trump,” the Georgia Republican told CBS News Wednesday. “It’s actually a very poor reflection on him that he chooses to speak about me that way.”

Mr. Trump has labeled Greene a “traitor” and a “lunatic” after she diverged from Republican leadership by demanding the release of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and questioning the party’s plan to address expiring Affordable Care Act premium tax credits. She has also voiced concerns about the impact of Mr. Trump’s tariffs and deportation policies on U.S. businesses.

Last month, Mr. Trump withdrew his support from Greene and suggested he might back a primary challenger. Shortly after, Greene announced her resignation from Congress, citing her falling-out with the president.

The former president has continued to publicly criticize Greene. On Monday, following an interview with “60 Minutes,” Mr. Trump called her a “dumb person” and said she “sort of reminds me of a Rotten Apple.”

Concerns About Women Voters and the Economy

Greene suggested the president’s rhetoric could alienate women voters. “He always continues to speak about women like this, and that’s something that women all over the country pay attention to,” she said. “I think the Republican Party needs to take a hard look at it, because the Republican Party has a very difficult time with women voting for them.”

She added, “It’s unfortunate that President Trump thinks loyalty is a one-way street. It’s really not. I do feel sorry for him, because I think he’s extremely unaware, and I don’t know how he can be unaware about this, but he’s not aware of how it makes him really look.”

Greene also questioned Mr. Trump’s assessment of the economy, noting his claim of an “A+++++” grade while many Americans struggle with affordability. “The president needs to be aware that he’s a billionaire president of the United States,” she said. “You can’t gaslight people and tell them that their bills are affordable, and you can’t tell them that the economy is in A+++. You just can’t do that, and I think it’s insulting to people’s intelligence.”

Midterm Concerns and Speaker Johnson

Greene expressed pessimism about the Republican Party’s chances in the upcoming midterm elections. “I do believe at this time that Republicans will lose the midterms, and I think that’s unfortunate,” she said. “I very much wanted to be part of a Republican majority in Congress that solved problems for the American people, that delivered what we promised to America.”

She stated she did not consult with Speaker Mike Johnson before announcing her retirement, explaining it was a personal decision made with her family’s support. Johnson had previously expressed surprise at her decision, but said he respected it and wished her well.

Greene, who previously threatened to oust Johnson, indicated she agrees with Representatives Elise Stefanik and Nancy Mace, who have also criticized the Speaker’s leadership. “I think he has a broader problem with the entire conference as a whole,” she said. “The Republicans have a problem. They’re going to have a really hard time trying to go back to their districts and ask for re-election and new Republican candidates running in other House seats are going to have a very hard time asking for votes when this Congress, this Republican majority here, has produced hardly anything to give back to the people.”

Mr. Trump, however, stated Wednesday he remains confident in Johnson’s ability to unite the conference, calling him a “fantastic speaker.”

Epstein Files and Death Threats

The rift between Greene and Mr. Trump also stems from the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. Greene was a proponent of the bipartisan effort to compel the Justice Department to disclose information about Epstein, and the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed overwhelmingly last month, mandating public release by December 19.

“I’ll believe it when I see it, and I really hope the Trump administration does the right thing,” Greene said. “I think, if they don’t release all of the information, and the women are the ones that will know, I think that will be a complete break of trust with MAGA.” She added that she would be “completely okay” with being labeled a traitor if it meant standing with the victims of Epstein.

Ultimately, Greene said death threats directed at her and her family factored into her decision to resign. “It was the direct death threats and assassination threats on my son, and that crossed my line,” she said. “It should cross anyone’s line, no matter who we are, no matter what disagreements we have.”