In a week marked by fierce intra-party debate and candid public statements, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has once again thrust herself to the forefront of the Republican Party’s internal struggles. Appearing on the October 23, 2025 episode of the Tucker Carlson Show, Greene delivered a blistering critique of her own party’s leadership, calling many of her Republican colleagues "fake" and accusing them of betraying the core principles that, in her view, define the MAGA movement. The conversation, which unfolded on national television, laid bare the deep rifts within the GOP and reignited questions about the future direction of both the party and the movement that has dominated its politics for the past decade.
According to a full transcript published by the Tucker Carlson Show, Greene did not mince words. "The only reason that they kiss up to Donald Trump, our president, the only reason they kiss up to him, is because they’re terrified of a Truth Social post, because they’re terrified of their own constituents that fully support MAGA, that fully support America First, and fully support everything that Donald Trump has laid out now for years and years," she declared. For Greene, the election of Donald Trump was more than a political victory—it was a referendum on the Republican Party itself. "Americans got to the point where electing Donald Trump was a referendum on the Republican Party. And I very much feel that because many times I hate my own party, and I blame Republicans for many of the problems that we have today."
Greene’s remarks come at a time when the Republican Party is grappling with its identity and the meaning of the MAGA movement. As Tucker Carlson explained at the outset of the episode, political movements are often at risk of becoming what they originally set out to oppose—a theme he illustrated with a reference to George Orwell’s Animal Farm. Carlson warned, "Most human organizations wind up resembling just organically over time whatever force they were created to fight against. They become inversions of themselves, mirror images of what they were intended to be." This, he argued, is a danger now facing the MAGA movement, as establishment figures within the GOP seek to co-opt its rhetoric while resisting its foundational principles.
Central to the discussion was a restating of what Carlson called the "Five Pillars of MAGA," themes that Donald Trump has emphasized from 2015 through 2025. These pillars, as articulated on the show, are: America First, secure borders, no pointless wars, economic renewal through real jobs, and free speech as a fundamental right. Each, Carlson noted, has been a consistent feature of Trump’s political messaging, and each has faced resistance not just from Democrats, but from within the Republican Party itself.
The first pillar, America First, was defined by Trump in a 2016 speech as putting "the interests of the American people and American security above all else." Carlson argued that this idea, once controversial, has become the bedrock of the MAGA coalition. Yet, as Greene pointed out, many Republicans have failed to deliver on this promise in practice, instead prioritizing the interests of "the military industrial complex, Big Pharma, health insurance industries, you name it." She accused her colleagues of being "literally slaves to them, and they love foreign war so much."
The second pillar, secure borders, remains a flashpoint in Republican politics. Despite Trump’s repeated calls to "Build that wall," Carlson noted that "the wall has not been built despite what you may hear. There is not a wall spanning the US-Mexico border." He attributed this failure to deep-seated resistance within both parties, but especially among Republicans who, in his words, "didn’t want distinct borders because they weren’t nationalists. They were globalists." Greene echoed this frustration, describing her party’s obstruction of border security measures and their reluctance to address what she called the "great replacement reality"—the demographic shift in which native-born Americans are projected to become a minority, a trend she and Carlson described as supported by census data.
The third MAGA pillar—no pointless wars—has perhaps been the most contentious. Trump’s opposition to foreign interventions that do not directly serve American interests has set him apart from previous Republican leaders. Carlson observed, "No more wars. That was one of the most popular things Trump said in 2016." Greene, for her part, has been a vocal opponent of bipartisan support for Israel’s actions in Gaza and the recent bombing of Iran. She told Carlson, "I can’t understand that, and people are so sick and tired of it, and the veterans in my district are sick and tired of it. But for some reason, this is the continuation of what Washington DC does, no matter who’s in charge, Democrats or Republicans."
Greene’s willingness to challenge her own party’s orthodoxy has made her a pariah among some GOP leaders, but also a hero to the movement’s grassroots. She described being ostracized by her colleagues after January 6, 2021, stating, "Every single Republican there in congress literally, literally turned their back on Donald Trump after January sixth." Despite this, she remained steadfast, insisting, "I fought my own Republican colleagues for years, literally years, until he finally won the primary in 2024."
The episode also delved into the economic anxieties fueling MAGA’s popularity. Greene criticized both parties for high inflation, rising costs, and what she described as a revolving door of foreign aid requests. "People are hurting here at home," she said, pointing to high food prices, rent, and insurance costs. She questioned the rationale behind a $40 billion bailout for Argentina, asking, "I don’t know how that’s America first." For Greene and Carlson, such policies represent a betrayal of the movement’s promise to prioritize American workers and families.
Underlying all of this is a fierce debate about authenticity and principle. Greene accused fellow Republicans of "playing the game"—adopting MAGA slogans for political survival while failing to deliver tangible results. As she put it, "They campaign and they say America first and they try to utter and mimic these Donald Trump talking points. But when it actually comes to getting to work and delivering those talking points into action for the American people...what are we doing? We’re sitting at home."
In a political environment marked by cynicism and shifting allegiances, Greene’s outspokenness has made her both a target and a symbol. Whether her brand of unapologetic populism will shape the future of the Republican Party—or be sidelined by establishment forces—remains an open question. But for now, the battle over the soul of MAGA is being fought in public, with Greene, Carlson, and their supporters determined not to let the movement’s core principles be forgotten or corrupted.
