Greene Critiques Male Republican Leadership Amid Government Shutdown

During an appearance on Tuesday, Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene expressed that numerous male Republicans in Congress are “weak” and feel threatened by “strong Republican women.” This statement comes as her disputes with party leaders intensify amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, now in its third week.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Greene juxtaposed House Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership style with that of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. She claimed that Republican women are being overlooked, while “weaker” men are being favored. Furthermore, she mentioned Johnson’s support for certain Democratic initiatives aimed at extending healthcare benefits and his push for a vote regarding the release of Justice Department documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein, a stance not shared by Johnson or former President Donald Trump.

Greene remarked, “Republicans have a lot of weak men, but they’re more afraid of strong Republican women. So they’re always trying to alienate strong Republican women who actually want to do things and accomplish things.”

Greene also indicated that Johnson had reached out to her last week after he called for the Senate to eliminate the 60-vote filibuster to resolve the shutdown with Republican support. However, Johnson downplayed this discussion, stating they had a “good discussion” as colleagues and friends. She elaborated, “President Trump has a very strong and dominant style, but he’s not weak at all. A lot of the men here in the House are weak.”

In response, Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain criticized Greene’s assertions about gender bias as “ridiculous.” She emphasized that Johnson has empowered women by treating all Congress members with due respect and maintaining a focus on merit rather than identity politics.

Mr. Greene, who had previously attempted to remove Mr. Johnson from his leadership position, asserted that voters would support a rebellion against party leadership, noting, “My constituency is not surprised.”