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Hello, friends. It’s Day 17 of the government shutdown and we have no end in sight.
But like you, I’m growing tired of the shutdown stories (even though there’s little else to cover!) so I’m going to give a shutdown-free edition of this newsletter — for the most part. Instead, I’ll be diving into one of the weirdest feuds that has emerged in the last few months: Marjorie Taylor Greene versus ... pretty much everyone else.
Plus, stick around to see who the Utah delegation is cheering for in the Utah vs. BYU game this weekend. Cougar fans, I think you’ll be pleased.
— Cami Mondeaux
The Big Idea
The other Rivalry Game: MTG versus GOP
It’s a rivalry I don’t think anyone was expecting. But Democrats are loving every minute of it.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., has been dominating headlines lately as she frequently breaks with Republican leadership and has even, at times, directly criticized President Donald Trump’s decisions and House Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership.
Since being elected in 2020, Greene has established herself as someone who is unafraid to challenge the GOP establishment while also staunchly defending Trump. But Greene has strayed from supporting the president in recent months — and has quickly become someone that I and other reporters ask questions of related to what the White House is doing.
Let’s take a tally of the times she’s broken with leadership over the last year.
In May, Greene posted a long list of grievances against the Republican Party and the Trump administration, specifically on foreign policy. The Georgia Republican lamented that the White House wasn’t following through with her stance on ending foreign wars, warning that “when you are losing MTG, you are losing the base.”
Then in June, Greene accused the Trump administration of committing a “bait and switch” after the president approved the bombings of Iranian nuclear sites — claiming it was a move to “please the neocons, warmongers, military industrial complex contracts, and neocon tv personalities that MAGA hates and who were NEVER TRUMPERS!”
Greene also bucked Trump earlier this fall when she signed on to the discharge petition that would force a vote on releasing the Epstein files even after the president explicitly directed Republicans not to. And when a White House official said that signing the petition would be considered a “hostile act” — she didn’t like that either, and called the official a “coward.”
But the latest saga is giving Democrats some talking points to use against Republicans in the shutdown fight. (Sorry, have to bring in the shutdown for a moment.)
Because remember: Democrats’ main argument in this battle is that they want a permanent extension of some COVID-19-era Obamacare tax subsidies — which Republicans say is a completely separate issue from the government funding package and should be dealt with later.
But then Greene came out with a long post on X that says Republicans need to address the health care crisis — criticizing GOP leadership for failing to have a plan to avoid it.
“Not a single Republican in leadership talked to us about this or has given us a plan to help Americans deal with their health insurance premiums DOUBLING!!!” Greene said. “It is absolutely shameful, disgusting, and traitorous, that our laws and policies screw the American people so much that the government is shut down right now fighting over basic issues like this.”
As you can imagine, Democrats love what she had to say. It’s right on message … for them. And it lets them fight Republicans with one of their own’s words.
Her behavior has raised some eyebrows among Republicans — and Trump even apparently has started asking lawmakers, “What’s going on with Marjorie?”
Johnson, for his part, is trying to brush it off. When reporters ask about her pushback on health care subsidies, he simply says that Greene is not privy to conversations and “probably not read in” on the discussions about how to deal with the expiring credits.
It’s a dynamic to keep an eye on. But with most lawmakers out of town and away from the Hill, it’s probably offering Johnson and other GOP leaders some reprieve from dealing with her head on.
— Cami Mondeaux
Stories driving the week
- Deja vu: The Senate failed again on Thursday to pass a Republican-led spending proposal to reopen the government, marking the 10th time the bill has failed due to Democratic opposition.
- Quiet Pentagon: Dozens of national outlets turned in their press badges, losing access to report on the Defense Department from inside the Pentagon as a protest against new press restrictions being pushed by the Trump administration.
- Democrats on defense: Potential Democratic candidates seeking to break through Utah’s Republican stronghold are pushing back against GOP efforts to eliminate the congressional map approved by the state Legislature last week.
The real Rivalry Game: Who are Utah lawmakers rooting for?
In more fun news, I hope y’all are gearing up for the big Utah vs. BYU game this weekend. Despite being in D.C., you bet I’ll be forcing all of my friends to indulge in the Utah-centric tradition.
Despite not attending either school (where my fellow Westminster Griffins at?), I do have some thoughts on who the better football team is. But I’ll save that for the end.
First, I checked in with the delegation to see who they are rooting for on Saturday night — and it’s a pretty resounding answer.
Both Utah Sens. Mike Lee and John Curtis say they are cheering for the BYU Cougars. Makes sense, considering both of them attended the university — Curtis even served as the Provo mayor before coming to Congress. And of course, Lee’s father Rex Lee was president of BYU in the 1990s.
Reps. Celeste Maloy and Mike Kennedy, also alumni of BYU, said the Cougars were their pick for the night.
Rep. Burgess Owens, although he did not attend BYU, told me this when he was explaining his pick: “With four of my five daughters once attending BYU … I’m a dad who knows how to always be their favorite.”
That leaves Rep. Blake Moore as the lone fan of the University of Utah, his alma mater. And not only is he rooting for them, but he even said it’s his prediction Utah will win — a sign of confidence the others did not necessarily exhibit.
But don’t worry Blake, I’m on Utah’s side for this one too.
— Cami Mondeaux
Quick hits
From the Hill: Arizona attorney general threatens legal action against Johnson if he doesn’t swear in Democrat. … Johnson says world leaders will nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize next year after snub. … Sen. Curtis says proposal to modernize federal pay was shot down by workers’ union.
From the White House: Trump says he has authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. … What to know about Trump’s ‘lengthy’ phone call with Putin. … Trump administration opens up coal leasing near iconic Utah landscapes.
From the courts: Judge John Nielsen chosen to be Utah’s newest Supreme Court justice. … Can police enter your home without a warrant? The Supreme Court will weigh in.
What’s next
The Senate will be back on Monday. The House is not expected to return, and Monday would mark one whole month they haven’t been in session.
As always, feel free to reach out to me by email with story ideas or questions you have for lawmakers. And follow me on X for breaking news and timely developments from the Hill.