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The House Freedom Caucus recently voted to remove Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene from their pro-Trump group. A member of the caucus confirmed this decision, stating that Greene’s conflict with Representative Lauren Boebert played a role in their reasoning.
“A vote was taken to remove Marjorie Taylor Greene from the House Freedom Caucus for some of the things she’s done,” said Freedom Caucus board member Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.). When asked if she was formally out, he replied: “As far as I know, that is the way it is.”
This is the first public acknowledgment of Greene’s status within the conservative caucus. The vote took place shortly after Greene engaged in a heated verbal altercation with Boebert, during which she used derogatory language to refer to her colleague. After this incident was reported, Greene confirmed the fight and reiterated her negative remarks.
Harris indicated that Greene’s disrespectful behavior towards a fellow member influenced the conservative group’s decision. He expressed disappointment in the way she referred to another member, particularly a female colleague. Although Harris did not disclose his own vote, he deemed the removal of Greene from the Freedom Caucus as an appropriate action.
This marks the first instance of the conservative caucus ousting one of its own members, reflecting the group’s growing frustration with Greene. Throughout the year, she aligned herself closely with Speaker Kevin McCarthy, causing divisions within the Freedom Caucus as she supported McCarthy’s speakership bid and debt deal with President Joe Biden. Simultaneously, the group is navigating a post-Trump era and some members worry about becoming too aligned with the party establishment.
When asked if Greene’s support for McCarthy and the debt deal influenced her removal from the caucus, Harris acknowledged that those factors played a role. He emphasized that the tipping point was her public remarks about another member, which crossed a line of unacceptable conduct.
The Freedom Caucus spokesperson declined to comment on Greene’s current status, citing the group’s policy of not discussing membership or internal processes. In her statement, Greene did not directly address her Freedom Caucus membership but emphasized her dedication to serving her constituents in Northwest Georgia, claiming she does not serve any specific group in Washington.
Greene typically attends the group’s weekly off-campus meetings. However, since those gatherings are exclusive to members, she would no longer be able to participate.
Although this is the first formal vote to remove a member from the Freedom Caucus, Greene is not the first to depart. Former Representative Justin Amash of Michigan left the group in 2019 and subsequently left the Republican Party. Harris mentioned that there was another member a couple of years ago who could have been asked to leave but was not.
There are discussions within the caucus about potentially targeting a few other members, in addition to Greene, who are seen as violating group standards by being inactive. Representative Scott Perry, the Chair of the House Freedom Caucus, previously rejected requests for purging members, which were made prior to the vote to remove Greene.
The group has experienced differences of opinion on various matters such as the speaker’s race and the debt ceiling. They require an 80 percent consensus on major issues for the group to take a unified stance, which has proven challenging on certain significant matters. The current focus of the caucus revolves around the fight over government funding, as they aim to pressure McCarthy and other leaders to reduce spending beyond the levels set in the debt deal. They also intend to hold their ground during negotiations with the White House and Senate Democrats.
Although there have been internal debates on strategy following the resolution of a weeklong standoff that halted House proceedings, Harris believes that removing Greene did not cause any significant divisions within the caucus. He commended Perry and stated that this decision was not a major obstacle for the group.
