Marjorie Taylor Greene’s surprise retirement announcement seems to have House Republicans breathing sighs of relief.
Before the far-right Georgia representative shocked the political world and announced her plan to retire on the eve of the next Jan. 6 anniversary, her fellow Republicans wanted nothing to do with her ongoing digital brawl with the president over the Epstein files.
Greene herself didn’t want to talk about the spat she started with Trump.
“Are you getting a divorce from Trump?” Raw Story asked last Friday morning, as Greene and her mini-entourage headed to the House floor for members’ last vote ahead of their weeklong Thanksgiving recess.
The usually talkative congresswoman just shook her head no.
“She’s not taking questions today,” her MAGA-media boyfriend, Brian Glenn of Real America’s Voice, answered for her.
Greene wasn’t the only Republican avoiding the topic of Greene.
‘No comment’
While no one outside Greene’s small circle of confidants saw her retirement coming, the MAGA darling had alienated many fellow Republicans in recent weeks.
“What have you thought of this dustup between MTG and Trump?” Raw Story asked Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), like Greene a hard-line controversy magnet on the right of the party.
“Above my pay grade on that,” said Gosar, who in 2024 was one of only 10 Republicans to join Greene’s attempt to oust Speaker Mike Johnson.
Other Republicans, especially those seeking a new office, were close-lipped too.
“That’s between them, not me,” Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), who’s running for governor back home, told Raw Story.
“Look, I just do my deal, so I haven’t really thought much about it, to be frank with you.”
Awkward.
“I don’t have any thoughts,” Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) — who served in the House alongside MTG until moving to the Senate in January — told Raw Story.
“I’m glad to be a senator.”
Even members of Greene’s Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) Subcommittee refused to come to the congresswoman’s aid in her clash with Trump.
“No comment there,” Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX) told Raw Story Friday morning.
“It’s uncomfortable, right?” Raw Story pressed.
“My fire is focused on the Democrats,” Gill said. “I’ll put it that way.”
‘All in with the boss’
If there was any doubt lingering about who controls the GOP, doubt no more: Trump won, again.
Greene’s decision to step down rather than duke it out with a primary opponent next year reveals the power of this presidency — because Greene’s one of the most prolific fundraisers on Capitol Hill.
Since her first win in 2020, the congresswoman’s raised a staggering $26.1 million. But even she withered at the thought of taking on her former MAGA-ally-in-chief.
“Biggest mistake of her life,” Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) told Raw Story outside the Capitol Friday morning.
“I don’t know why you get into altercations with Donald Trump, the greatest president,” Nehls added. “I mean, the guy, he’s done a hell of a job, why would you do it?”
While Greene has not discussed her decision, on Capitol Hill there’s been lots of chatter about her failing to garner Trump’s blessing for a Senate run.
“You hear the reports, some are saying she wanted to run for Senate and the numbers didn’t look good,” Nehls said.
“A lot of people up here think they deserve to get promoted or, you know, all this other stuff. I don’t know, but it’s not healthy. It’s not healthy.”
Just hours before Greene made her retirement announcement, Nehls predicted her downfall.
“I don’t see how Marjorie can win this battle. I just don’t,” Nehls said.
“And MAGA’s MAGA. MAGA’s not moving off,” he added. “The boss has his supporters and they’re not leaving him. The boss is the boss, and I support the boss. I’m all in with the boss.”
’Tis the season?
Politically speaking, Thanksgiving promises to be a lonely day for Greene.
“None of you guys want to talk about her fight with Trump,” Raw Story told Arizona Congressman Gosar. “It feels like an uncomfortable Thanksgiving dinner.”
“Probably, yeah,” Gosar said, smirking. “It might be a Christmas dinner.”
“Do you think they’ll heal it eventually?” Raw Story asked. “Because members of your party have already found out what happens when you cross Trump.”
“She’d be wise to” heal the breach with the president, Gosar said Friday morning, ahead of the retirement announcement.
“It’s nice to see spirit, but not unless it comes with temperament. I’ve learned that from my family.”
In 2018, six of Gosar’s siblings disavowed him politically and cut an ad for his opponent. Seven years on, as Congress left town for the recess, it was unclear who Gosar — or MTG — would be spending Thanksgiving with.
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