Leaked text messages reveal a tense conversation between two members of Congress both known as MAGA firebrands.
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene feuded with Rep. Matt Gaetz in the exchange, provided to the Daily Beast.
Greene criticized conservative influencer Steve Bannon in the Friday text message, defending her own MAGA bona fides amid criticism from opponents of Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy of California.
Greene has increasingly aligned herself with McCarthy, vocally supporting his leadership campaign earlier this year in the face of staunch opposition from Gaetz. She’s voted in alignment with the Republican Speaker 94 percent of the time.
“I have almost the same identical voting record as Thomas Massie, the most fiscally conservative member of Congress. And I voted with him on this bill,” Greene’s text said of McCarthy’s debt ceiling deal with President Joe Biden.
“And Bannon, who was senior counsel to Trump in the WH and responsible for the first debt ceiling increase [because] Bannon is reckless and no where near fiscally responsible, is now telling everyone I should be primaried.”
Bannon called for both Greene and Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan to face primary challenges in a Gettr message last week, citing their support of the debt ceiling deal.
Greene defended her support of McCarthy’s deal last month in a news conference, in contrast to the Republican critics of the bipartisan legislation.
Here’s what I had to say to the press tonight about the debt ceiling vote.
Watch until the end! pic.twitter.com/dnWGC4y1fE
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene?? (@RepMTG) June 1, 2023
Greene predicted that she would overcome any primary challenge brought about by Bannon and conservative activist Laura Loomer, who has suggested she’d be willing to challenge the Georgia Republican.
“Steve, Loomer, and any other POS attacking me will not beat me,” Greene said in the text.
The ally of former President Donald Trump went so far as to rip Bannon as a toxic and bad individual.
“Because of that people have been reaching out to me because they don’t like what Steve is doing to me …
“I’m at a place in my life where removing toxic and bad people out of my life makes me very happy.”
Greene expressed no willingness to reconcile with Bannon in the message, and urged Gaetz to notify him that any expectation of working together wouldn’t be realized.
“Steve and I aren’t getting back together. And if he keeps it up I’ll take the house and kids. I hope you send it to Steve. Because I’m done.”
Greene has also feuded with fellow House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Lauren Boebert, according to the Daily Beast.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
