The Republican congresswoman from Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene has announced she will resign from office on 5 January 2026, citing disillusionment with party leadership and a deepening rift with President Donald Trump.
In a four‑page statement released on Friday evening, Greene accused Republican leaders of sidelining the legislative branch and failing to advance conservative priorities such as border security and “America First” policies. She said she could no longer remain in office while the political establishment ignored the needs of ordinary Americans.
Greene, once one of Trump’s most vocal allies, credited him with inspiring her to run for Congress in 2020. However, in recent months she has become an unexpected critic of the administration, challenging the president over several issues including the release of files related to the late Jeffrey Epstein, continued support for Israel, and the extension of Obamacare subsidies. She questioned whether Trump remained committed to the “America First” agenda.
“No matter which way the political pendulum swings, Republican or Democrat, nothing ever gets better for the common American man or woman,” Greene said in her statement. She added that she intended to return to private life, “to the people I love, to live life to the fullest as I always have, and look forward to a new path ahead.”
Trump responded to the announcement in a phone call with ABC News, describing Greene’s resignation as “great news”. He said she had not informed him beforehand but added: “It doesn’t matter … I think it’s great. I think she should be happy.”
Relations between the two had deteriorated sharply. Trump had previously labelled Greene a “traitor” and “wacky”, pledging to endorse a challenger against her in the next election.
He speculated last week that Greene had turned against him because he advised her not to run for the Senate and claimed she was “upset that I don’t return her phone calls”. Greene rejected the claim, insisting her criticism stemmed from Trump’s refusal to release the Epstein files.
Her resignation will narrow House Speaker Mike Johnson’s already slim majority, leaving him with less room to manoeuvre. NBC News reported that Greene did not give Johnson advance notice of her decision.
In a ten‑minute video posted on X, Greene reiterated her commitment to her campaign promises but accused Washington of betraying the “America First” agenda. “America First should mean America First and only Americans First, with no other foreign country ever being attached to America First in our halls of government,” she said.
Greene also claimed she had received warnings from private security firms about threats to her safety after Trump withdrew his endorsement. In a post on X, she alleged that “a hotbed of threats against me are being fuelled and egged on by the most powerful man in the world”, without naming Trump directly.
She said she had endured “never‑ending personal attacks, death threats, lawfare, ridiculous slander and lies” during her time in office.
Greene’s resignation follows months of clashes with the White House and fellow Republicans. Earlier this month, Trump said she had “lost her way” after she accused him of focusing too much on foreign affairs while neglecting the rising cost of living in the United States. Greene has also criticised the administration’s stance on H‑1B visas, its opposition to AI regulation, and its involvement in overseas conflicts.
“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, whom I fought for,” she said, referring to her calls for the release of Epstein‑related files.
Greene has been outspoken in her opposition to Israel’s war in Gaza, describing it as “a genocide” and accusing Washington of prioritising foreign interests over domestic needs.
Her departure comes halfway through her third term in Congress. While she did not specify her next steps, she hinted at a possible return to politics, saying she would stand “by the side” of ordinary Americans when they realised their collective power over Washington.
Political strategist Shermichael Singleton told CNN that Greene may be considering future plans. “Perhaps she thought otherwise. Maybe she’s looking at future plans. But this is a big shocker,” he said.
Trump won Greene’s district with 68 per cent of the vote in the 2024 presidential election, while Greene herself secured re‑election with 64 per cent. Despite her public dispute with Trump, voters in her district appeared largely unaffected by the conflict, according to NBC News.
