Former Trump loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene to resign from US congress

Marjorie Taylor Greene, a loyal supporter-turned-critic of US president Donald Trump, has said she is resigning from US congress in January.

In a video posted online, the Georgia representative said she did not want her congressional district “to have to endure a hurtful and hateful primary against me by the president we all fought for”.

Ms Greene’s resignation followed a public falling-out with Mr Trump in recent months, as the congresswoman criticised him for his stance on files related to Jeffrey Epstein, along with foreign policy and health care.

Mr Trump branded her a “traitor” and “wacky” and said he would endorse a challenger against her when she ran for re-election next year.

She said her last day would be January 5 2026.

In a brief phone call on Friday night, Mr Trump told ABC News that Ms Greene’s resignation is “great news for the country”. He said had no plans to speak with Ms Greene, but wishes her well.

Ms Greene was one of the most vocal and visible supporters of Mr Trump’s Make America Great Again (Maga) politics, and she embraced some of his unapologetic political style.

Her break with him was a notable fissure in his grip over conservatives, particularly his most ardent base. But her decision to step down in the face of his opposition put her on the same track as many of the more moderate establishment Republicans before her who are at odds with Mr Trump.

The congresswoman, who recorded the 10-minutes-plus video announcing her resignation while sitting in her living room wearing a cross necklace and with a Christmas tree and a peace lily plant behind her, said: “My life is filled with happiness, and my true convictions remain unchanged, because my self-worth is not defined by a man, but instead by God.”

Ms Greene had been closely tied to the Republican president since she launched her political career five years ago.

In her video on Friday, she underlined her long-standing loyalty to Mr Trump except on a few issues, and said it was “unfair and wrong” that he attacked her for disagreeing.

“Loyalty should be a two-way street and we should be able to vote our conscience and represent our district’s interest, because our job title is literally ‘representative’,” she said.

Ms Greene swept to office at the forefront of Trump’s Maga movement and quickly became a lightning rod on Capitol Hill for her often beyond-mainstream views.

In her video, Ms Greene said she had “always been despised in Washington, DC, and just never fit in”.

As she embraced the QAnon conspiracy theory and appeared with white supremacists, Ms Greene was initially opposed by party leaders but welcomed by Trump. He called her “a real WINNER!”

Over time she proved a deft legislator, having aligned herself with then-Republican leader Kevin McCarthy, who would go on to become US house speaker. She was a trusted voice on the right flank, until Mr McCarthy was ousted in 2023.

While there has been an onslaught of legislators from both parties heading for the exits ahead of next fall’s midterm elections, as the US house struggles through an often chaotic session, Ms Greene’s announced retirement will ripple throughout the ranks – and raise questions about her next moves.