3:55Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene addresses attendees during a press briefing alongside Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Thomas Massie and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse regarding the Epstein Files Transparency Act in front of the U.S. Capitol, November 18, 2025 in Washington.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene responded sharply to President Donald Trump on Tuesday during a news conference situated outside the U.S. Capitol, standing alongside women harmed by the deceased convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump rescinded his backing of Greene, previously one of his most ardent supporters, over the past weekend after she rebuked him and his administration concerning their handling of the Epstein probe, among other concerns.
"I was labeled a traitor by a person I advocated for over five, or rather, six years, and I freely offered him my faithfulness," Greene stated, alluding to a social media posting from Trump over the weekend in which he dubbed her "Marjorie 'Traitor' Greene."
"I secured my initial election absent his support, prevailing over eight men in a primary, and I have never been indebted to him; instead, I championed him, his policies, and America first. Yet, he called me a traitor for standing with these women and for declining to remove my name from the discharge petition," she articulated.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene speaks during a news conference with Rep. Ro Khanna, Rep. Thomas Massie and Jeffrey Epstein abuse survivors on the Epstein Files Transparency Act outside the U.S. Capitol, November 18, 2025 in Washington.Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Greene seemed to suggest on Tuesday that Trump was in reality the "traitor."
"Allow me to define a traitor. A traitor is an American who aligns with foreign entities and their personal gains. A patriot is an American dedicated to serving the United States of America and Americans, akin to the women supporting me now," Greene pressed forward.
These remarks preceded Tuesday's House ballot concerning legislation mandating the Justice Department to unseal all documents tied to Epstein, an initiative Trump had resisted for months prior to abruptly switching his position as it became evident enough Republicans would vote affirmatively.
During the press conference alongside Epstein survivors outside the Capitol, Greene garnered commendation from the bill's co-sponsors, Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, together with numerous survivors.
"When Ro and I embarked on this endeavor, the majority of discharge petitions face insurmountable odds, succeeding perhaps only 4% of the time. Consequently, we faced steep challenges, but we were bolstered by courageous women on the Republican side. My colleague, Marjorie Taylor Greene, stands among them with us today. The repercussions they've endured defy imagination," Massie revealed.
Rep. Thomas Massie speaks alongside Rep. Ro Khanna and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene during a news conference on the Epstein Files Transparency Act outside the U.S. Capitol, November 18, 2025 in Washington.Heather Diehl/Getty Images
Survivor Haley Robson stated in her address that should Greene ever opt to read aloud names of individuals linked to Epstein on the House floor, she would stand by her in solidarity.
ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott queried Greene on Tuesday whether she trusted Trump's declaration on Monday that he would endorse the bill to disclose the Epstein files if presented to him, and whether she felt confident these files would indeed be released.
"I now exclusively regard people's actions seriously, dismissing mere words," Greene retorted.
"I must add, I was not a latecomer to the MAGA phenomenon. I was an original participant from 2015 onward. There is a substantial distinction between those Americans and those who resolved to back President Trump at a later stage," Greene clarified.
Greene asserted that "witnessing this escalate into conflict has fragmented MAGA."
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
