Conservative Lawmaker Breaks Ranks Over Iran Policy
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) went after President Donald Trump on Friday, taking issue with his threat to intervene militarily in Iran as anti-government protests turn deadly. The outspoken congresswoman, who leaves office next week, argued that Trump's rhetoric flies in the face of the non-interventionist platform many conservatives thought they were voting for in 2024.
Writing on X, Greene bundled Trump's Iran comments together with remarks from Israeli billionaire Shlomo Kramer about restricting speech on social media, calling the combination "everything we voted against" last November. Her message was blunt: America's priorities should be domestic, not foreign entanglements.
"The focus should be on tax dollars here at home and defending our God given freedoms and rights," Greene wrote.
The public criticism comes amid reports of a political falling out between Greene and Trump that's led to her decision to leave Congress on Monday. Whatever alliance they once had appears to be fraying in real time.
Trump Warns Iran: U.S. Is 'Locked And Loaded'
Earlier on Friday, Trump posted on Truth Social that the United States would "rescue" Iranian protesters if the country's government resorts to violent crackdowns. He went further, declaring that America is "locked and loaded and ready to go" if Iranian authorities start killing demonstrators.
The statement didn't go over well in Tehran. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, speaker of Iran's parliament, fired back on X that Trump's words essentially make U.S. troops stationed throughout the Middle East "legitimate targets" for Iranian forces. That's the kind of escalation that tends to make military planners nervous.
Iran's Biggest Protests Since 2022 Claim Lives
The protests erupted over the weekend, driven by deteriorating economic conditions that have squeezed ordinary Iranians. What started as demonstrations about the economy has grown into the largest wave of unrest the country has seen since 2022, when protests exploded after 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in morality police custody.
This time around, the consequences are already severe. According to the Hengaw Organization for Human Rights, Iranian authorities have detained at least 29 protesters. The Associated Press reports that at least seven people have been killed during the unrest so far.
Greene's criticism puts a spotlight on the tension within conservative politics between the America First doctrine and traditional hawkish foreign policy. For Trump, navigating Iran policy means balancing support for protesters demanding freedom against the non-interventionist instincts of his base. Greene is making it clear she thinks he's on the wrong side of that line.