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President Trump tore into his former ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene late on Friday, after the Georgia Republican accused the White House of a “huge miscalculation” in brushing off attempts to release more of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
In a Truth Social post, the president called Greene a “lunatic” and accused her of going “Far Left” because of her recent criticisms of Republicans on issues like Epstein, healthcare, and inflation.
“I understand that wonderful, Conservative people are thinking about primarying Marjorie in her District of Georgia, that they too are fed up with her and her antics and, if the right person runs, they will have my Complete and Unyielding Support,” Trump wrote, adding that he no longer takes Greene’s calls.
The stinging remarks came after Greene said earlier in the day that President Trump is engaging in a “huge miscalculation” by dismissing the bipartisan group of lawmakers pushing the government to release more of the Epstein files.
Greene, speaking with CBS Mornings on Friday, reiterated her belief that the president did not engage in any wrongdoing during his friendship with the late sex offender, but said she felt the White House has been wrong in dismissing Republicans seeking more information as “stupid.”
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President Trump said Friday he supports a primary challenge against Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a former staunch ally, after the Georgia Republican criticized his handling of the Epstein scandal (Getty Images)
“Just being very honest with you, it’s something that I don’t understand,” the MAGA rep said, arguing that releasing more Epstein information sends a powerful message that the government “will not protect the predators,” even if they are tied to rich and influential people.
The president has denied engaging in misconduct linked to Epstein, while directing Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate the financier’s ties to prominent Democrats.
Greene isn’t the only one pushing the administration to do more to disclose information on Epstein.
With the House back in session, a group of lawmakers, including a small handful of Republicans, have pushed forward an effort to force a vote on releasing more Epstein files.
The House will take up the vote next week.
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With the House back in session, and with the recent swearing in of Adelita Grijalva (left), a bipartisan group of reps has enough support to force a vote on releasing more Epstein files (REUTERS)
The White House is under even further pressure on Epstein because Congress this week released a trove of emails where the late sex offender claimed Trump “knew about the girls” he was recruiting.
“I know nothing about that,” Trump told reporters Friday, reiterating his claim the Epstein saga is a Democratic “hoax” meant to damage Republicans.
“If they had anything they would’ve used it before the election,” he added.
Greene, who supports the discharge petition effort on Epstein, has emerged as a rare voice inside the party who will directly criticize the president on a host of topics.
In recent days, she has hammered the administration for what she sees as too much emphasis on foreign trips and diplomacy and not enough focus on persistent affordability issues.
“No one cares about the foreign countries,” Greene recently told NBC News. “No one cares about the never-ending amount of foreign leaders coming to the White House every single week.”
In the face of these criticisms, Trump has repeatedly brushed off the former ally.
On Friday, Trump accused Greene of having “changed politically” and said he’s getting calls from her district about a primary challenge.
“She’s lost a wonderful conservative reputation,” he said.
The president added that his foreign trips were key to promoting diplomacy and securing overseas investment in the U.S.
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President Trump has denied any wrongdoing over his former friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell (Getty)
The congresswoman has also taken aim at fellow Republicans for allowing Affordable Care Act subsidies to expire, a major sticking point in the recent government shutdown negotiations.
Greene has called healthcare costs a “five-alarm fire“ for the party.
The legislator, once better known for her attention-getting style and embrace of conspiracy theories, has in recent months redirected her energies toward issues including the Israel-Hamas war, criticizing the U.S.-backed conflict for the high civilian death toll in Gaza.
Amid the flurry of recent criticisms, some have speculated Greene is plotting a presidential run for 2028, when Republicans will be seeking a new standard-bearer after Trump hits his two-term limit.
Greene has dismissed such speculation as “baseless rumors.”
