Former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia Republican who left Congress earlier this year, recently posted on X to criticize President Donald Trump. She shared one of his old 2019 social media posts about U.S. involvement in the Middle East, accusing him of abandoning his past anti-war promises by sending troops into a new conflict she believes will cost “trillions more and precious lives.”
According to Newsweek, Greene’s post on X highlighted a message on Trump made in 2019 during his first term, which read: “The United States has spent EIGHT TRILLION DOLLARS fighting and policing in the Middle East. Thousands of out Great Soldier have died or been badly wounded. Millions of people have died on the other side. GOING INTO THE MIDDLE EAST IS THE WORST DECISION EVER MADE….”
Greene then added, “This was one of reasons many of us supported Donald Trump. Where has this man gone?” She went on to say, “Now he’s sending US troops into another Middle East war that will cost us trillions more and precious lives. No wonder he turned his back on me for fighting him to release the Epstein files. What would cause a man to change so much?”
Greene’s criticism reflects a real and growing split inside the Republican Party
This public criticism is notable because Greene was once one of Trump’s most vocal allies. Her comments point to a growing divide within the Republican Party over the expanding U.S. military presence in the Middle East, as thousands of American troops are being sent to the region.
The current conflict with Iran escalated after the United States and Israel struck key military sites in Iran on February 28, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other government leaders. Iran responded by launching missiles and drones at Israel and several Gulf Arab states that host U.S. forces.
So far, thirteen U.S. service members have been killed and over 300 wounded. Iran’s leadership has shown little sign of backing down, and Iran’s finance minister has openly mocked Trump’s threats against the country.
Trump and his administration have said these deployments are necessary to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, protect U.S. forces in the region, and prevent further attacks on American or allied targets.
Trump also recently shared a clip recently from a 1987 interview with journalist Barbara Walters, conducted during the Iran-Iraq War, where he argued that the U.S. should respond forcefully to Iranian aggression and suggested seizing Iranian oil installations to offset losses.
Other Republicans have also spoken out. Senator James Lankford of Oklahoma said on NBC’s Meet the Press, “To be very clear on this, the worst thing that can happen is to be able to have this kind of conflict start and to not end it, to leave it undone. We’ve got to be able to finish this…If this is special forces to be able to carry out a specific operation, get in, get out, that’s very different than longstanding occupation.”
Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina said, “If we’re going to do a conventional ground operation with Marines and 82nd Airborne, that is a ground war that I believe Congress should have a say and we should be briefed. We don’t want troops on the ground.”
This intra-party tension comes as Trump’s approval ratings have dropped significantly. Recent polling from YouGov/The Economist shows his net approval at a new low of -23 points, with 35 percent of Americans approving and 58 percent disapproving.
According to The Hill, among his 2024 voters, approval has fallen 15 points in just three weeks, from 84 percent to 76 percent. Americans aged 65 and over now show a net approval of -17 points, while voters under 30 sit at -40 points. This drop is being linked to the ramping up of military action in Iran, a partial government shutdown, and a declining stock market.
On Saturday morning, Trump also posted on Truth Social: “Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!” Adding to the uncertainty, peace talks with Iran have since collapsed according to Iranian mediators, raising serious doubts about a diplomatic path forward.
Published: Apr 6, 2026 01:30 pm