Marjorie Taylor Greene slammed Donald Trump’s political staffers during a phone call with House Republicans on Tuesday, decrying how the GOP does not have a plan to lower healthcare costs set to rise at the end of the year.
The current shutdown, which has been just shy of a month, is ongoing because Democrats are demanding Republicans include healthcare reform in any bill that will fund, and thereby reopen, the government.
On the House GOP’s conference call on Tuesday, Greene aired out her issues with Trump’s political staff giving members of Congress marching orders.
Not denying her reportedly critical comments on Trump’s political team, Greene herself began posting additional critiques.
‘You left out that I said I have no respect for the House not being in session passing our bills and the President’s executive orders,’ the Georgia Republican wrote.
‘And I demanded to know from Speaker [Mike] Johnson what the Republican plan for healthcare is to build the off-ramp off Obamacare and the ACA tax credits to make health insurance affordable for Americans.’
Boasting close to seven million followers on X, the influential congresswoman has taken a unique position in urging for Republicans to muster up a plan to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax subsidies before they expire at year’s end.
She has repeatedly stressed in TV hits and on social media how high health insurance costs impact her own children and that her family weighs into how she votes.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., reportedly criticized Trump’s political team on a conference call with all the GOP House members. She later openly critiqued GOP Speaker Mike Johnson on social media
Trump has blamed the ongoing shutdown on Democrats and has not indicated that he is involved in dealing with them on ending a shutdown
GOP leadership in the House and the Senate, meanwhile, have suggested any negotiations on ACA (Obamacare) extensions will take place after the government is reopened.
On Monday, the speaker announced at a press conference that House Majority Leader Steve Scalise is leading the GOP’s health care plans.
The shutdown is in its 28th day.
Still, the Senate is at an impasse after having failed to advance a funding bill over a dozen times.
The speaker also has said that the appropriate planning is being done to handle the Obamacare subsidy renewals.
MTG admitted as much in her post, responding to Punchbowl News founder Jake Sherman.
‘Johnson said he’s got ideas and pages of policy ideas and committees of jurisdiction are working on it, but he refused to give one policy proposal to our GOP conference on our own conference call,’ Greene revealed on X.
She joked that she must have to ‘go into a SCIF to find out the Republican healthcare plan,’ the congresswoman joked of the private intelligence briefing rooms.
Former President Barack Obama’s signature healthcare policy Obamacare is a hot topic of debate on Capitol Hill
Democrats are hoping President Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson want to negotiate with them on Obamacare subsidy extensions and government funding, but Republicans have been adamant that no health care negotiations should happen during a shutdown
The Georgia Republican has been distancing herself from leadership and has made no qualms over naming what she perceives as Johnson’s shortcomings.
However, her vote on any legislation is still vitally important for Johnson due to the House GOP’s ultra-thin 219 – 213 margin.
On the call, Greene also reportedly called on Senate Majority Leader John Thune to destroy the Senate filibuster and lower the threshold needed to pass legislation when funding the government.
Currently, the Senate needs 60 votes to pass government spending bills, Greene is suggesting that rule gets changed to a simple majority, meaning Republicans could fund the government without Democratic support.
The effort, if enacted, would break historical Senate precedent and is not a widely supported.
