“I 100% support a challenge to MTG”: Knives out in MAGA World over Greene’s betrayal

Even longtime ally Steve Bannon is now calling for Greene to face a primary challenge from "Real MAGA"

By Igor Derysh

Managing Editor

Published June 5, 2023 11:28AM (EDT)

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) speaks to reporters in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center after the House Republican caucus leadership elections on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on November 15, 2022. (Elizabeth Frantz for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) speaks to reporters in the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center after the House Republican caucus leadership elections on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on November 15, 2022. (Elizabeth Frantz for The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Former Trump adviser Steve Bannon and other MAGA Republicans are turning on far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., for allying herself with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.

Greene, one of the most outspoken MAGA diehards in Congress, drew heat from the right for voting in favor of McCarthy's debt ceiling deal with President Joe Biden last week and flipping on her support for the public release of Jan. 6 surveillance footage that she said could "put the security of the Capitol at risk."

Greene said she agreed with some of her MAGA colleagues' criticisms of the debt bill but ultimately defended it against an onslaught of right-wing backlash.

"If you have to eat a shit sandwich, you want to have sides, OK? It makes it much better," Greene told reporters just outside McCarthy's office last week. "So what I'm looking for is, I'm looking for some sides and some desserts."

Bannon, who has frequently hosted Greene on his podcast, took to the right-wing platform Gettr to call for Greene to face a primary challenge from "Real MAGA."

Other right-wingers quickly joined in.

"I 100 percent support a challenge to MTG, and look forward to meeting and helping a serious challenge to her," right-wing host Stew Peters told The Daily Beast.

Trump ally Laura Loomer, who has repeatedly lost congressional bids in Florida, is even considering moving to Georgia so she can primary Greene.

"She took a job from me when she publicly accused me of being crazy... and told Trump not to hire me. I think it's only fair that I get a shot at taking her job, too," Loomer told The Daily Beast, adding, "You know what Donald Trump always says? An eye for an eye."


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Greene in a text message to Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., that was obtained by the outlet complained that she was getting more heat than other Republicans who backed the bill, including right-wing Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.

"I have almost the same identical voting record as Thomas Massie, the most fiscally conservative member of Congress. And I voted with him on this bill," Greene wrote. "And Bannon, who was senior counsel to Trump in the WH and responsible for the first debt ceiling increase bc Bannon is reckless and no where near fiscally responsible, is now telling everyone I should be primaried."

But Greene said she is not worried about the attacks.

"Steve, Loomer, and any other POS attacking me will not beat me," she wrote. "Because of that people have been reaching out to me because they don't like what Steve is doing to me… I'm at a place in my life where removing toxic and bad people out of my life makes me very happy."

Greene sent Gaetz a warning for Bannon.

"Steve and I aren't getting back together," she wrote. "And if he keeps it up I'll take the house and kids. I hope you send it to Steve. Because I'm done."


By Igor Derysh

Igor Derysh is Salon's managing editor. His work has also appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald and Baltimore Sun.

MORE FROM Igor Derysh


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Aggregate Kevin Mccarthy Laura Loomer Marjorie Taylor Greene Matt Gaetz Politics Steve Bannon