Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene again distanced herself from parts of the Republican party and President Donald Trump, making it clear she will break with them when she considers it correct.
“I’m not some sort of blind slave to the president, and I don’t think anyone should be,” Greene claimed in an interview with NBC News. “I serve in Congress. We’re a separate branch of the government, and I’m not elected by the president. I’m not elected by anyone that works in the White House,” she added.
“I’m elected by my district. That’s who I work for, and I got elected without the president’s endorsement, and, you know, I think that has served me really well.”
According to Greene, that fact allows her to be “independent as a Republican.” “and I think what helps [Trump] the most is when he has people that are willing to be honest with him and not just tell him what they think he wants to hear.”
In another passage of the interview, Greene slammed her fellow lawmakers for the government shutdown, saying she doesn’t want to “serve in that institution.”
“I think all good things go to die in the Senate, and I certainly don’t want to go there. But I think those are just attacks to try to marginalize me or try to sweep me off, so to speak. And I really don’t care.”
The lawmaker’s latest feud involves House Speaker Mike Johnson, who pushed back against her over her criticism of the party’s plans for health care during the shutdown.
Greene claimed Republicans don’t have plans for health care and should be working on addressing the issue: “When it comes to the point where families are spending anywhere from $1,500 to $2,000 a month and looking at hikes coming on their insurance premiums, I think that’s unforgivable,” she said.
Johnson rejected the claim, saying the lawmaker does not serve on committees that deal with health care “and she’s probably not read in on some of that.”
Greene then escalated the feud further, saying “the reality is they never talk about it” and the committee “working on health insurance and the industry, it doesn’t happen in a (secure facility).” “It’s not a major secret,” she added, noting that Johnson hasn’t called her to address her concerns.
The Republican Rep. went on to say the party “has no solution” and is “not something that we talk about frequently, but it is a reality for Americans, and it’s something that I don’t think we can ignore.”
Originally published on Latin Times
