Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene announced Nov. 21, 2025, she'll resign Jan. 5, 2026—her final day carefully timed to vest her congressional pension after exactly 5 years and 3 days in office. Under Federal Employees Retirement System rules, she needs 5 years to qualify for an $8,717 annual pension starting at age 62, totaling $265,000 over her lifetime. Rep. AOAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez accused Greene of timing her departure 'just 1-2 days after her pension kicks in' while 'making millions insider trading stocks for weapons manufacturers.' Greene's Jan. 5 exit date—the day before the new Congress convenes—maximizes benefits while minimizing accountability.

Trump withdrew his endorsement Nov. 15, 2025, calling Greene 'Wacky Marjorie,' a 'ranting lunatic,' and 'Marjorie Traitor Greene' after she signed a discharge petition forcing release of Jeffrey Epstein files. He posted she's 'a disgrace to our GREAT REPUBLICAN PARTY' and mocked her as 'Marjorie Taylor Brown' because 'Green grass turns Brown when it begins to ROT.' Trump said he'd 'fully support the right person' in a 2026 primary challenge. Greene fired back that Trump is trying to 'make an example' of her to scare other Republicans before the Epstein files vote, adding his attacks could 'put my life in danger.'

Greene broke with Trump on multiple policy issues beyond Epstein files. She publicly questioned whether he's 'still America First' after foreign trips, criticized his approach to H-1B visas for high-skilled workers (arguing the program undercuts Americans), and demanded more accountability for billions sent to Ukraine. Greene told CBS Mornings Trump's opposition to releasing Epstein files is a 'huge miscalculation' and posted screenshots of texts urging him to 'lean into' Epstein's ties to other figures. She wrote to Trump aide Natalie Harp: 'Them being raped as teenagers is not a hoax' and demanded the White House 'stop ignoring the women.'

Greene was one of four House Republicans (with Lauren Boebert, Nancy Mace, Thomas Massie) joining all 214 Democrats on the discharge petition. Trump spent months pressuring Republicans not to sign, with Attorney General Pam Bondi, Deputy AG Todd Blanche, and FBI Director Kash Patel meeting Boebert Nov. 13 to pressure her to withdraw. Trump called Rep. Nancy Mace that morning. Despite this pressure, the petition hit 218 signatures Nov. 12 when Rep. Adelita Grijalva signed minutes after being sworn in—after Speaker Mike Johnson delayed her swearing-in for 7 weeks, which Democrats said was to prevent the petition from succeeding.

Greene resigned rather than face a Trump-backed primary in 🍑Georgia's 14th District, where Trump won by 37 points in 2024. She calculated Trump's endorsement power made a primary victory nearly impossible in her R+28 district. Greene said she didn't want her constituents to endure a 'hurtful and hateful primary' Trump threatened to engineer. Governor Brian Kemp must call a special election within 10 days of her Jan. 5 departure. Candidates positioning include Republican state Sen. CMColton Moore (who said he's 'seriously considering' a run), 14th District GOP chair Jim Tully (Greene's senior field representative), and Democrat Shawn Harris (who lost to Greene by 29 points in 2024).

Greene's departure shrinks Speaker Mike Johnson's majority to 218-214, giving him only a 2-vote cushion. Combined with 🌴Florida Republicans Matt Gaetz and Mike Waltz resigning for Trump administration posts, Johnson faces funding deadlines and debt ceiling votes with almost no margin for defections. The special election could leave the seat vacant until late February or March 2026 due to 🍑Georgia's 30-day minimum waiting period and potential runoff. Johnson didn't know Greene was resigning—she didn't inform him before her announcement, further complicating his legislative calculations.

Greene served as chair of the House Oversight Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE), where she claimed to have identified $180 billion in savings through federal cuts. She led efforts to defund 'hard left politically biased NPR, PBS, and the corrupt USAID,' holding hearings attacking USAID as an 'America-last, foreign aid slush fund.' Greene cited examples like $70,000 for a 'DEI musical in Ireland' and $50,000 for a 'transgender opera in Colombia' from USAID's $240 billion distributed over Biden's four years. She said DOGE savings 'should be the first installment we pay on our nation's $37 trillion debt.'