Once one of Donald Trump’s most loyal defenders, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) is now viewed by many in her own party as a “radioactive” figure, a politician increasingly isolated from the MAGA movement she once championed.

Over the past several months, Greene has emerged as one of the few Republicans in Congress openly challenging Trump from within his own ranks. She’s questioned the administration’s decision to strike targets in Iran, labeled the situation in Gaza a “genocide,” and backed a bipartisan effort pressing the Justice Department to release its files on Jeffrey Epstein. 

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Most recently, Greene sided with Democrats in supporting an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, a stance that undercut the White House’s shutdown strategy and drew sharp criticism from her usual allies.

In defending her position, Greene pointed to her own family, saying her children would be among those hurt if Republicans allowed the subsidies to expire. She said she was “disgusted” by the idea that millions could lose access to affordable coverage, even though she opposes the underlying law and accused GOP leaders of failing to offer an alternative plan.

“Everyone’s just getting destroyed,” Greene told CNN on Wednesday during an interview. “Look, Democrats, you created this mess. Republicans, you have no solutions. You haven’t come up with a new plan in place, and we’re not even talking about it, and it is hurting so many people.” 

Her break from her party has been amplified by Democrats eager to highlight the internal rift. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) cited Greene’s original comments on the Senate floor, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) displayed one of her social media posts on a poster board during a press conference.

A Georgia Republican within Greene’s orbit said her recent independence is driven by resentment after being told by the White House not to run for Senate. “She’s a woman without a country,” the operative said. “She’s gone off her rocker, trying to get noticed by the president because he’s made clear he doesn’t need her.” 

Greene’s relationship with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), once an ally, also appears to have soured. Last year, she led a failed effort to oust him after he backed additional aid to Ukraine, accusing him of abandoning conservative priorities. 

At his own press conference on Tuesday, Johnson brushed off Greene’s attacks on the GOP’s handling of Affordable Care Act subsidies, saying she lacks a full understanding of the issue.

 “Congresswoman Greene does not serve on the committees of jurisdiction that deal with those specialized issues, and she’s probably not read in on some of that,” he said.

Greene has denied that her recent independence has anything to do with her thwarted statewide ambitions, insisting that breaking from the party line has always been her brand.

The Washington Examiner reached out to Greene’s office for comment but did not receive a response. In an interview with NBC News, Greene said, “I don’t want to serve in that institution. Look at them. They’re literally the reason why the government is shut down right now. I think all good things go to die in the Senate, and I certainly don’t want to go there.” 

A GOP operative familiar with the congresswoman’s relationships on Capitol Hill and with the White House described her as “personally loyal to Trump” but increasingly defiant on core issues. The person said Greene has grown alienated from Trump’s inner circle, adding that she “doesn’t like a lot of the people in the White House” and remains “pissed off at the staff.”

Her recent moves have baffled former allies, the operative said, noting that Greene has alienated much of her MAGA base while drawing unlikely praise from Democrats. “The people saying, ‘I can’t believe I agree with Marjorie Taylor Greene,’ those aren’t MAGA people,” the person said. “She’s appealing to a whole new group, progressives, and that’s not a winning strategy.”

According to the operative, Greene has struggled to transition from firebrand outsider to lawmaker in the majority, saying she’s “so used to fighting everything” that she’s lost focus on substantive issues and veered toward fringe topics. 

Inside GOP circles, the person said Greene has become “radioactive.” “When you go against the party line on the three biggest issues of the day, you’re damaging yourself and anyone tied to you,” the operative said. “She might be back in the headlines, but there’s no serious Republican who thinks what she’s doing helps herself, the party, or President Trump.”

GOP strategist Greg Manz said Greene’s behavior has strayed far from the disciplined disruption that defined the MAGA movement. “Breaking with President Trump on core issues and picking public fights with GOP senators doesn’t make her independent — it makes her unpredictable and politically unserious,” Manz said. 

“The MAGA movement is about strategic disruption, not self-promotion. If she keeps straying from the America First path, she’ll find out the hard way that the base doesn’t follow tourists — MAGA patriots follow and respect true believers.” 

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Still, Greene has cast her recent moves as acts of conviction, not defiance, saying she’s willing to take heat for doing what she believes is right for her constituents.

“I didn’t run for Congress as an establishment Republican, and when I ran for Congress, I’d never even been to a GOP meeting,” Greene told NBC News. “I’m very much an average American. I don’t see things through the party polls and the talking points; I look at the real problems and analyze them that way. … So I think that helps me have a different viewpoint.”