Marjorie Taylor Greene Finds Herself on the Sidelines

Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is one of the most high-profile members of Congress and a staunch supporter of former President Donald Trump but she could soon find herself on the political sidelines.

Greene, who represents Georgia's 14th congressional district, rapidly became a national figure following her election to the House of Representatives in 2022 and was widely seen as a rising GOP star.

However, Greene's political future may be in doubt following a vote last week by the conservative House Freedom Caucus to oust her from the influential group following a clash with fellow caucus member and Republican, Representative Lauren Boebert.

Greene had already caused controversy among her conservative colleagues by supporting the election of Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who had been opposed by many Freedom Caucus members, and her decision to support a debt deal reached by McCarthy and President Joe Biden.

Another caucus member, Representative Andy Harris, told reporters that Greene's recent clash with Boebert was "the straw that broke the camel's back." In late June, Greene called Boebert a "little b****" on the House floor.

It remains unclear what the future holds for Greene outside the Freedom Caucus but speculation has mounted that it could dent her political ambitions.

Newsweek reached out to Greene's office via email on Tuesday seeking comment for this article. Her office provided a statement that Greene had issued following her ouster last week.

"In Congress, I serve Northwest Georgia first, and serve no group in Washington," Greene's statement said.

"My America First credentials, guided by my Christian faith, are forged in steel, seared into my character, and will never change. I fight every single day in the halls of Congress against the hate-America Democrats, who are trying to destroy this country. I will work with ANYONE who wants to secure our border, protect our children inside the womb and after they are born, end the forever foreign wars, and do the work to save this country," she said.

"The GOP has less than two years to show America what a strong, unified Republican-led Congress will do when President Trump wins the White House in 2024. This is my focus, nothing else," Greene's statement read.

Gaining the Spotlight

Greene represents a heavily Republican district, so it appears unlikely she's at risk of losing her seat. However, she could potentially be sidelined in the House, according to Thomas Gift, founding director of the Centre on U.S. Politics at University College London, U.K.

"Greene's recent spat with the Freedom Caucus may sideline her in terms of influence on congressional committees," Gift told Newsweek. "But, at the end of the day, she's a show person. She doesn't need Kevin McCarthy—or anyone else, for that matter—to make outlandish statements, to spark controversy, and to gain the spotlight."

Gift said that Greene's brand "is about ruffling feathers. Whether that's by 'owning the libs' or blowing up relations with members of her own party, it doesn't seem to much matter. So from that perspective, her profile won't be much affected."

Republican strategist Alex Patton told Newsweek last week that Greene's ouster "will likely allow her to play her victim card with vigor and juice her fundraising a bit in the short term."

"Long term, it will also likely isolate her further from her colleagues in Congress," Patton said.

Greene and the Trump Campaign

Greene is well-known for her loyalty to former President Trump and she's even been talked about as a potential vice presidential running mate if Trump wins the Republican nomination again.

In January, former Trump White House chief strategist Steve Bannon said that Greene sees herself as a potential VP pick.

"She sees herself on the shortlist for Trump's VP. Paraphrasing Cokie Roberts, when MTG looks in the mirror she sees a potential president smiling back," Bannon said on his War Room podcast.

He was referring to political reporter Cokie Roberts, who worked for a number of outlets including ABC News and NPR.

However, Greene's possible vice presidential—or presidential—ambitions could be a longshot. According to betting odds comparison site Oddschecker, Greene currently enjoys 16/1 odds of winning the GOP vice presidential nomination from bookmakers William Hill.

Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake enjoys much better odds at 7/2, while former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Halley's odds are 9/2. Other potential VP picks also enjoy better odds than Greene.

"It's hard to imagine Trump picking Greene as VP. She doesn't add anything to the ballot, except to reinforce Trump's brand of pandering to the far-right," Thomas Gift told Newsweek.

"It seems much more likely that Trump will try to balance out the ticket with someone who can legitimately claim gravitas within the conservative community, but who will be less alienating to swing voters," he said.

Greene won't face voters again until 2024 and she's likely to play a major role in the Trump campaign between now and November next year. It's not yet clear what precisely that role might be.