Marjorie Taylor Greene announces she will resign from Congress on Jan. 5, 2026, saying she refuses to remain a ‘battered wife’ to Trump after a public rift.
By Gina Hill | Alaska Headline Living | November 2025
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announces she will resign her House seat on Jan. 5, 2026, marking a dramatic break with President Donald Trump and reshaping the dynamics of her northwest Georgia district.
In a lengthy video on X (formerly Twitter) and a four-page public statement, Greene framed her resignation as a principled move, she said she’s done fighting “inside the broken halls of Congress” and wants to “fight for the people … in a different way.” She accused Washington’s “political industrial complex”, from both parties, of sidelining real Americans. She also claimed to have received “never-ending personal attacks, death threats, lawfare, ridiculous slander,” and other hostilities she said ordinary people could not withstand.
The Fallout with Trump
Greene’s departure came in the wake of a bitter public feud with Trump. On Nov. 14, he posted on Truth Social that he was withdrawing his endorsement, calling her “ranting” and “wacky” and criticizing her for complaining rather than backing his administration’s achievements. He went further, saying he might support a conservative primary challenger if “the right person runs.”
In reaction, Greene denied she owed Trump anything, saying she had supported him freely for years and that her efforts, especially her push to release the Epstein files, were genuine, not transactional. She framed the fight as a matter of principle: standing with Epstein survivors, defending transparency, and holding powerful elites accountable. Time
Trump, for his part, told an ABC reporter he thinks her resignation is “great news for the country.” When asked if she notified him first, he said, “Nah … but I think she should be happy.”
What’s Driving Greene’s Decision
Several factors seem to converge in Greene’s decision to step away:
- Ideological Rift: She explicitly calls out her own party’s leadership for failing on “America First” policies.
- Epstein Files Push: Her dissent over Trump’s handling of Epstein-related files played a central role, and she casts herself as a defender of victims and government accountability.
- Personal Strain: Greene mentions loving her family too much to remain in the fray of a “hurtful and hateful primary,” especially after losing Trump’s support.
- Safety Concerns: She claims to have received “warnings” from private security firms about threats to her life, which she suggests are fueled, in part, by Trump’s public denunciations.
What Might Greene Do Next
Far from signaling retirement, Greene’s exit seems like a strategic repositioning:
- She may double down on advocacy, particularly around Epstein files, from outside Congress.
- Freed from the constraints of elected office, she could build a media platform to amplify her voice via podcast, livestream, or other digital-first channels.
- She could adopt a kingmaker role in GOP politics, endorsing or promoting challengers who align with her “America First” populism.
Greene’s resignation also gives her room to rebuild her brand, not as a member of Congress, but as a powerful influencer in the conservative movement.
Who’s Lining Up to Fill Her Seat
With Greene set to resign, Georgia’s 14th District is now open, prompting strong interest on both sides of the aisle. Key contenders include:
| Name | Party | Occupation / background | Status (filed / declared / expressed interest / potential) | Latest fundraising (primary source) | Notes & primary source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Black | R | Former FEMA veteran; campaign website | Filed (FEC committee) | $78,181 (FEC reported totals through Sept. 30, 2025). Federal Election Commission+1 | Principal campaign committee & filings on FEC; campaign site. Federal Election Commission+1 |
| Jeff (Jefferson) Criswell | R | Entrepreneur; campaign site / X account | Filed (Statement of Candidacy / campaign active) | $455 (FEC totals through Sept. 30, 2025). Federal Election Commission+1 | FEC candidate page and his campaign site/X. Federal Election Commission+1 |
| Uloma Ekpete Kama (Uloma Ekpete) | R | Physician; political candidate (has filed in multiple districts previously) | Filed (FEC Statement of Candidacy) | Not yet reported (FEC filings confirm candidacy; summary totals not listed on primary FEC docquery snippet). FEC Docquery+1 | FEC statement of candidacy entries show filings. (Also listed as candidate on Ballotpedia.) FEC Docquery+1 |
| Elvis (Elvis Julian) Casely | R | Actor/media personality (campaign paperwork filed) | Filed (FEC Statement of Candidacy) | Not yet reported (FEC statement filed). X (formerly Twitter) | FEC form appearance and Ballotpedia listing. Ballotpedia+1 |
| Laura Loomer | R | Political activist / internet personality | Publicly expressed interest (social post asking about moving to Georgia) | N/A No Georgia FEC committee for GA-14 listed yet. X (formerly Twitter) | Loomer publicly teased a possible Georgia move on X; she has not (as of primary sources searched) filed FEC paperwork for GA-14. X (formerly Twitter) |
| John Cowan | R | Neurologist / physician (ran in GA-14 GOP primary runoff in 2020) | Potential (past candidate / name resurfacing in discussion) | N/A (potential; past 2020 campaign records available). Ballotpedia+1 | Listed as a past primary challenger to Greene (2020); named as a potential “possible” return in reporting, analyses. Ballotpedia |
| Colton Moore | R | Georgia state senator (SD-53) | Potential (state senator cited as possible entrant in commentary) | N/A (no GA-14 FEC filing reported for 2026). Wikipedia | Moore holds an office covering part of NW Georgia and is mentioned as a possible contender in political analysis. Wikipedia |
| Shawn Harris | D | Retired U.S. Army Brigadier General; farmer; 2024 nominee | Declared (Democrat) | Campaign press release: $768,939 raised in Q3 2025 (campaign press release reported by AllOnGeorgia). FEC candidate page exists. AllOnGeorgia+1 | Campaign website and press releases; declared Democratic candidate who ran in 2024. Shawn for Georgia+1 |
| Clarence Blalock | D | GIS contractor; local Democratic activist | Filed / previously ran; later reports of shifting to other runs (classified as withdrawn from GA-14 in some reporting) | FEC committee exists; earlier reported fundraising ~$17,356 (FEC summaries). Federal Election Commission+1 | Ballotpedia and FEC committee information indicate prior GA-14 activity; some local reporting indicates he later pursued other offices (check state filings). Ballotpedia+1 |
| Rob (“Rush”) Ruszkowski / Rob Rush | Ind / Other | Wellness coach/activist ; campaign website present | Filed paperwork (Statement of Candidacy listed on public candidate lists) | Not yet reported (campaign website; Ballotpedia shows independent/other filed). Rush Congress+1 | Independent/ other candidate website & Ballotpedia listing for GA-14. Rush Congress+1 |
Given his very public break with Marjorie Taylor Greene, Trump is now closely eyeing her potential Republican successors, and the most likely to win his backing are those who can combine populist appeal with discipline.
Among them: Laura Loomer, the conservative activist-influencer, stands out. She has strong name recognition, a combative MAGA-aligned brand, and has already signaled interest in the seat, all of which could make her attractive to Trump as a fighter rather than a squabble-prone ally.
Photo: starblackforcongress.com
On the more moderate side, Star Black, a businesswoman who’s already raised more than $78K, may also be a contender in his eyes: she’s less volatile, more disciplined, and could appeal to pragmatists while still aligning with his “America First” base. These two (and possibly others) could give Trump a real shot at defining his influence over the post-Greene GOP in northwest Georgia, if he chooses to wade in.
Implications for the MAGA Movement
Greene’s exit marks a turning point in the movement she helped galvanize:
- Her break with Trump weakens one of his longtime loyalists, raising questions about his influence over the next generation of MAGA-aligned politicians.
- At the same time, her departure opens a power vacuum that could be filled by more disciplined, fundraising-savvy conservatives, or by hard-line populists who pick fights from the outside.
- If she becomes a media figure or activist rather than a legislator, Greene may wield more ideological influence than ever, shaping the future agenda of the MAGA base.
Bottom Line
Trump’s next move in the GA-14 scramble is already attracting attention, especially as he weighs which Republican contender deserves his blessing. With Greene’s exit reshaping the district’s power map, the president is expected to look toward candidates who can carry his banner without the chaos that defined his break with her. Firebrand activist Laura Loomer is emerging as a natural fit for his endorsement, given her loyalty, visibility within MAGA circles, and willingness to swing hard at opponents. Businesswoman Star Black, with her steadier tone and early fundraising strength, could appeal to Trump if he chooses a more disciplined surrogate. His decision, whether immediate or drawn out, will help define the next phase of Georgia’s conservative politics.
And as Greene steps off the stage, the bigger question looms: Where does she go from here? Stay tuned for our full political analysis in the upcoming feature, “What’s Next for Marjorie Taylor Greene?”
