President Trump responds to Marjorie Taylor Greene’s foreign policy criticism
President Donald Trump said Marjorie Taylor Greene had “lost her way” by questioning his foreign policy priorities.
On Tuesday, March 10, President Donald Trump’s dominance over the Republican Party was reaffirmed as the front-runner to replace former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene moved a step closer to becoming the “Make America Great Again” patriarch in Congress.
Republican Clay Fuller, a former prosecutor, finished second among more than a dozen candidates in the Georgia special election to replace Greene, who resigned from the House in January after months of conflict with the president.
Fuller defeated all other Republican candidates to win the seat, which stretches from Atlanta’s northern suburbs to the Appalachian-Tennessee border in the mountainous Peach State.
Trump’s endorsement in early February made Fuller, 44, a former Air National Guard member, stand out among other conservatives in the race who say they are better suited to carry the torch.
“I think this is a reaffirmation that voters (here) support the president (and) that the president is listening to their ideas about the people he wants to implement his policies,” Fuller told USA TODAY in a one-on-one interview shortly after the results were announced.
“Obviously, given that he’s in this race, it’s important for him to get someone who can be a MAGA warrior on Capitol Hill.”
Here are the key takeaways from Tuesday’s election.
Fuller has an advantage in runoff election against Democratic candidate
Retired Brigadier General Sean Harris was one of only three Democrats on the ballot and was the top overall vote-getter on March 10 after consolidating much of his party’s support.
However, neither candidate met the 50% threshold required for an outright victory under Georgia law, meaning they will head to an April 7 runoff.
Given the district’s conservative leanings, Fuller is expected to win. Harris faced Green in 2024, but lost by about 30 points.
Although Mr. Trump’s support does not wipe out the Republican base, and some observers see it as a sign of weakness, Mr. Fuller’s loss of votes among conservative candidates underscores that Mr. Trump remains in top position among MAGA-leaning voters despite growing tensions with his populist base.
Whether it’s trying to calm ongoing affordability concerns, especially among young men, or demanding the release of all investigative files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, President Trump is facing more criticism than ever from the political right.
He is also battling other detractors within the Republican Party, including Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who the president hopes to oust from Congress in the state’s May 19 primary. With what is expected to be a tough midterm election, Trump’s recognition as the undisputed kingmaker will be crucial if he is to maintain his grip on the Republican Party.
Iran didn’t come up much among Republican candidates.
Georgia’s special election was one of the first to be called after President Trump launched an offensive against Iran, a move that has led to poor poll numbers and soaring gas prices.
The war has hit raw nerves among MAGA supporters, especially activists and online influencers who argue that entering into a conflict with a foreign country violates President Trump’s previous commitments. But that rift did not emerge among the Republicans running to replace Greene.
“Bloodthirsty Ayatollah Khamenei, who caused countless deaths to the American people and our allies around the world, is finally dead. Rot in hell, you monster,” Fuller said in a Feb. 28 post on the X show.
Republican Colton Moore, a former Georgia congressman who was considered the party’s next best choice, criticized Fuller on several issues but did not explicitly support or criticize the attack on Iran.
Fellow Republican candidate Nikki Rama quoted from the Bible and prayed for fallen American soldiers, but did not elaborate on her stance on the Iranian airstrike.
Greene could be troubled by Trump and potential successor
Greene was once one of Trump’s staunchest allies and defenders. That was until months of bitter public exchanges over various differences, including last year’s attack on Iran, ended the two countries’ political partnership.
She never warned voters of her endorsement in the special election, and several Republican operatives in the state told USA TODAY that such an endorsement would be even more damaging given her break with the president, who regularly calls Greene a “traitor” in public.
The former congressman returned the favor by adding his voice to the anti-war drumbeat of MAGA officials in the face of President Trump’s escalating actions against Iran.
“Trump has betrayed his campaign promise of no more foreign wars,” Greene said in a March 8 post on X, lamenting that the conflict had caused soaring gas prices, cost $1 billion a day, and left about 175 people dead at an all-girls elementary school in Iran.
Experts say it is unlikely that Greene will be involved in the runoff.
Some speculate that she might use that influence to shake up the MAGA base in the 2028 presidential election. Greene recently voiced her support for former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
Charles Bullock, a political science professor at the University of Georgia and a veteran political observer, said Greene could serve more as a conscience for MAGA voters this fall, who have doubts about whether the president will stay true to his promises and causes.
“If others do come to the conclusion that Mr. Trump is not living up to his campaign rhetoric, that could pose broader risks for the Republican Party and Mr. Trump going forward,” he said.
Trump, House Republicans need help in Congress
The vacancy is also important in another way: how Republicans control Congress by the end of the year.
House Speaker Mike Johnson entered office in 2026 with a razor-thin Republican majority in the House that continues to be chipped away. Shortly after Greene resigned, Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) passed away in January, and Rep. Kevin Kiley, also of California, left the Republican Party, citing “bipartisanship” on Capitol Hill.
Kiley said he would continue to caucus with House Republicans, but did not commit to supporting any future policies as he wants to project his newfound independence.
This reduces the official Republican majority to 217 voters to the Democrats’ 214.
Adding Mr. Fuller to the caucus would give the chairman, and Mr. Trump, a little more cushion on close votes.
Buttigieg stumbles over Democratic candidate
Most experts believe Democrats have no chance in 2024 in these deep red congressional districts, which Trump won by about 36 percentage points.
However, support for the Democratic Party is increasing in elections across the country, including in areas where the president had an advantage in past elections. Many who have criticized progressives for avoiding hostile political and media outlets are watching closely, hoping to expand the party’s electoral appeal this fall and beyond.
For example, the Harris campaign announced on March 14 that it would invite former U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, a frequent guest on Fox News, for a “conversation on service and leadership.”
Buttigieg, who is rumored to be a 2028 presidential candidate, endorsed Harris’ candidacy last month, saying, “There are no permanently red states or districts.”
Contributor: Eileen Wright
