Trump slams Marjorie Taylor Greene as 'stone cold liberal' at North Carolina rally
Rift within MAGA surfaces as Trump ridicules Greene and Greene signals looming departure from Congress; remarks come as GOP faces 2026 midterm questions.
President Donald Trump used a portion of his rally in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, on Friday night to attack Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, labeling her as a traitor and a liberal in disguise. At a moment dedicated to personal jabs and fealty to his base, Trump referred to Greene as “Marjorie Traitor Brown,” saying, “green turns to brown under stress.” The line drew cheers from a crowd that has grown accustomed to Trump’s blunt, feud-forward rhetoric.
Trump’s remarks came as Greene has drawn backlash from him in recent months over her public stance on several issues, including her criticism of the Trump administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case files and the government shutdown. Addressing his supporters, he underscored a long-running strain in their relationship, portraying the Georgia congresswoman as someone who has drifted away from his orbit. “You know, you can only go so far — once a month, once every week or two weeks — but you can’t, you know, highly neurotic. Her, not me, but I’m neurotic too. I think I’m probably very neurotic too,” he said, adding a line about “controlled neuroses” giving someone energy.
Trump also claimed Greene’s path in Congress ended because he did not endorse her for reelection, saying, “She dropped out, and the person I would have endorsed was going to kill her in the polls.” He contended she “changed so much,” adding, “you can’t go from being a strong conservative to a stone cold liberal, unless you were lying.” The remarks illustrate a growing rift within the MAGA coalition as the former president seeks to maintain influence while others within his orbit take different directions.
Greene herself has stressed a tougher line against the party establishment in recent public appearances. In a separate interview with CNN, she warned Republicans that they may face a disappointing outcome in the 2026 midterm elections and that Trump’s grip on the party could be loosening. The interview highlighted a broader question about how tight the loyalty of Trump allies remains as the party navigates post-2024 politics and legislative battles. “What the hell happened to her? She must have been a stone cold liberal. She’s on CNN now all the time. Can you believe it?” Trump quipped earlier as he recounted Greene’s media shift.
The tension between Trump and Greene has long been a talking point within conservative circles, with Greene’s criticism of Epstein files handling and the government shutdown drawing Trump’s ire at times and Greene’s defense at others. The North Carolina rally offered another public chapter in their uneasy but historically intertwined relationship, underscoring how intra-MAGA dynamics can influence upcoming political contests and fundraising momentum as the party prepares for future elections.
The exchange also reflects broader strategic questions facing the GOP: how to balance a populist, Trump-centric base with the broader electoral needs of a party facing statewide and national contests in 2026 and beyond. Greene’s looming resignation from Congress, a point Trump touched on in Rocky Mount, adds another layer of complexity for Republican leadership as they map out message discipline and candidate alignment ahead of midterm campaigns.
Overall, Friday night’s remarks in Rocky Mount illustrate how Trump remains willing to publicly challenge former allies who have drifted from his orbit, while Greene’s own public trajectory—both inside and outside Congress—continues to shape conversations about loyalty, policy, and the future of the Republican Party.