In a week marked by political turbulence and a government shutdown, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has once again thrust herself into the national spotlight—this time by taking aim at both her own party and the federal government’s alleged involvement in weather modification. Greene, a prominent figure in the MAGA movement and a close ally of former President Donald Trump, has voiced a series of grievances ranging from climate conspiracies to economic anxieties, exposing deep rifts within the Republican Party and amplifying ongoing debates about America’s domestic priorities.
On Friday, October 17, 2025, Greene took to X (formerly Twitter) to claim that the ongoing government shutdown had a silver lining: “One good thing to come from this government shutdown… CLEAR SKIES!” she wrote. “No taxpayer-funded weather modification experiments Americans never asked for. My Clear Skies Act will BAN geoengineering and weather modification. No more spraying chemicals in our skies. It’s time to end this dangerous and unregulated practice!!” Her post quickly ricocheted across social media, fueling both support and skepticism.
But the U.S. government has been adamant in its denials. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “The U.S. government is not engaged in any form of outdoor testing (e.g., small-scale experiments designed to study injection technologies) or large-scale deployment” of technologies to modify the amount of solar radiation hitting the Earth. Other federal agencies have echoed this position, consistently stating they are not involved in large-scale, non-laboratory weather modification experiments. Yet, such denials have done little to quell the anxieties of conspiracy theorists, who believe weather modification has caused natural disasters or is responsible for the persistent contrails left by airplanes.
The Independent reached out to Greene’s office for clarification, seeking any evidence of ongoing experiments she alleges have been halted by the shutdown. As of publication, no specific examples had been provided, leaving her claims unsubstantiated but still resonant among some segments of her base.
Greene’s weather modification crusade is just one facet of a much broader campaign against what she sees as the failings of her own party and the federal government at large. In an interview with Axios, also published on Friday, Greene lambasted the GOP for straying from its “America First” roots. “It’s a revolving door at the White House of foreign leaders when Americans are, you know, screaming from their lungs,” she said, expressing frustration that domestic issues are being sidelined in favor of global diplomacy. “If me saying those things are considered breaking with my party, then what is the Republican Party? I thought we were America First?”
Her criticism comes at a time when the Republican Party is grappling with internal divisions, especially as the government shutdown drags on and the 2026 midterms loom ever closer. Greene’s comments underscore a growing sense of disillusionment among some in the party’s base, who feel that the GOP’s leadership is out of touch with the everyday struggles of Americans.
Greene has not shied away from calling out specific party leaders. She took direct aim at House Speaker Mike Johnson, criticizing him for failing to convene a single conference meeting about plans to address the impending expiration of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits. “Republicans have no plan,” she told Axios. Her stance on health care has even seen her align, at least rhetorically, with Democrats who are pushing for action to preserve ACA subsidies. This rare moment of bipartisanship highlights just how fractured the party has become on issues that directly affect voters’ wallets.
Inflation and rising health-care costs remain at the top of Greene’s list of concerns. “Inflation skyrocketed under the Biden administration. But it’s like, okay, well, now we’re in charge, and when are we working on this?” she asked, channeling the frustrations of many Americans who have seen their purchasing power erode over the past several years. Greene’s criticism is not reserved solely for Democrats; she has also publicly chastised “weak Republican men” in Congress, as reported by The Washington Post earlier in the week.
Perhaps most strikingly, Greene has taken a hard line against the administration’s $40 billion bailout of Argentina, calling it “America Last” and warning that it puts U.S. farmers “on the verge of bankruptcy.” She has also criticized what she describes as unpredictable tariff policies, lamenting that producers “don’t know if the tariff policy is going to change with a Truth Social post.” Despite this, Greene maintains that she supports Trump’s broader trade agenda, emphasizing the importance of “made in America” and “reciprocity in trade.” However, she warned that instability is “killing confidence among farmers and manufacturers.”
Greene’s willingness to challenge both her party and the White House has not gone unnoticed—and it has not always been well received. When asked about potential backlash from her Republican colleagues, Greene appeared unfazed. “It doesn’t faze me at all,” she told Axios, recalling that 11 of her GOP colleagues voted to remove her from committees in 2021. Her combative style and readiness to break ranks have made her a polarizing figure within the party, admired by some for her outspokenness and criticized by others for her unpredictability.
Despite her mounting frustrations, Greene insists she has no plans to go independent. “The extreme division in our country is extraordinarily alarming and sad,” she reflected. “It’s embedded in the two-party system. Democrats have to hate Republicans to gin up fundraising—and the same thing happens on our side. Everyday Americans are so sick of it.” Her remarks point to a broader malaise in American politics, where polarization and partisanship seem to overshadow opportunities for consensus and progress.
As the shutdown continues and the political temperature rises, Greene’s dual campaign—against both alleged government overreach and her own party’s perceived failings—offers a window into the current state of American conservatism. Her focus on weather modification may strike some as fringe, but her broader complaints about economic hardship and party leadership echo the concerns of many voters. Whether her calls for reform will spark meaningful change or simply add to the noise remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Marjorie Taylor Greene is determined to keep the spotlight—and the pressure—squarely on Washington.
For now, the skies over Capitol Hill remain as unsettled as the political climate below, with Greene’s voice serving as both a rallying cry and a warning shot to those in power.
