Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) placed responsibility for the ongoing government shutdown on Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) during an interview with CNN on Thursday.
Greene said, “I’ve been vocal saying, you know, you can use the nuclear option in the Senate.”
“This doesn’t have to be a shutdown, but what we have to do is we have to work for the American people.”
“And our country is so divided right now,” she continued.
“We see it all the time in every single way. It’s divided in what I would say very dangerous ways.”
Greene referenced the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, noting the profound effect it has had on national discourse.
“And we saw that with the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk, which has upset so many people across the board,” she said.
In the interview, Greene expressed support for specific Democratic Party demands related to the government shutdown.
She endorsed the extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) premiums, which are set to expire, as part of ongoing negotiations.
House Republicans have passed a “clean” spending bill intended to fund the government through late November.
The measure excludes new spending initiatives and focuses on maintaining operations until the next fiscal period.
Democrats, by contrast, have insisted on adding provisions to extend ACA tax credits, as well as billions of dollars in additional spending.
These include items such as taxpayer-funded healthcare for non-citizens, among other legislative priorities.
The Senate has demonstrated a sharp partisan divide in votes to end the shutdown.
Only three senators—John Fetterman (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) and Angus King (I-ME), who caucuses with Democrats—voted in favor of ending it, Trending Politics reported.
All Republican senators, with the exception of Rand Paul (R-KY), also voted to conclude the shutdown.
Greene emphasized that her priority is addressing the concerns of her constituents.
Speaking to CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer, she said, “Look, when it comes to hearing from senior citizens or my own friends and neighbors and my own family members and people that voted for me, and they’re just saying, Marjorie, we just really want somebody to do something about health insurance premiums.”
She stressed that her duty is to represent her district rather than act as a partisan cheerleader.
“We really want our government and our leaders to actually focus on our country for a change and fix our problems. That is the message I constantly hear from my district. And I’m a representative. I don’t have to be a cheerleader for my party,” Greene stated.
The congresswoman also criticized the pervasive drama in national politics.
“And I myself, I agree with them. And I’m pretty much over the, it’s just drama constantly on TV. No offense, because you guys are on television. But that’s all that we see in American politics now,” she said.
Economic issues were another major focus during the interview.
Greene highlighted concerns about inflation, the cost of living and stagnant wages, noting their impact on Americans across age groups.
When asked about the cost of living, Greene replied, “Very.”
She described her own rising expenses in Washington, D.C., saying, “Inflation crushed people in the past four and a half years, and the costs have not come down.”
“I myself can tell you my apartment here in Washington, D.C., the electricity bill is $100 more than it was last year, because you can look at your own bill and look at costs.”
She added, “Prices have not come down. That that is a reality.”
Greene further noted that Americans’ wages have not kept pace with rising costs.
“People’s wages have not gone up. That’s another reality. And so Americans are continuing to have a very difficult time getting by,” she said.
She also highlighted the challenges facing younger adults.
“And I’ll go a step further. I’m a mom. And so when it comes to what is affecting my adult children’s lives who are 22, 26 and 28, I’m going to be 1,000% fighting for them over any politician and any party. And I can tell you right now, that generation, they are barely making it. And they’re very hopeless for their future,” Greene said.
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