Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG) is still very much all for the ‘America First’ slogan. In fact, the conservative firebrand is primarily batting for the agenda, which she claimed was the only reason she voted for the Donald Trump administration to be re-elected.

As her feud with the US president intensifies, the Georgia lawmaker has only further doubled down on her “AFAO” pitch. For the unversed, it stands for “America First America Only.” Many news headlines across the globe are already starting to brand MTG “former MAGA.”

However, as already established, that’s not to say she’s deviating from the nationalist stand. What she is actually doing is forging a path for her own new slogan. Repeatedly splashing mentions of it in her back-to-back social media activity, Greene is simply doing what Donald Trump once did for the ‘Make America Great Again‘ movement: She is popularising it.

By doing so, Marjorie presumably hopes for the motto to be internalised and normalised to such an extent that it finds its own standing as a political movement, but minus Trump this time.

ALSO READ

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s AFAO slogan gains momentum

“My heart is with Americans who struggle to afford life in America today,” she shared via X on Saturday (US time). “After tyrannical covid lockdowns and gigantic government spending bailouts, inflation has driven cost out of control, while American jobs have been replaced by visa holders and illegals.”

She finished the tweet, writing in all-caps, “AFAO!!” (heart emoji) (American flag emoji)

Her post came as a response to The Kobeissi Letter’s report stating: “US grocery prices have never been more expensive.” It detailed how the average cost of groceries for a family of four people has risen to a “record $1,030/month.”

In a separate post, MTG claimed that she was now facing threats “fuelled and egged on” by the man she “supported and helped get elected.”

But even before that, the Georgia lawmaker’s leak of the Jeffrey Epstein-related messages she’d sent to Trump came with the hard assertion “I remain America First and America Only!!!” and that she doesn’t “worship” the POTUS.

In an interview with NBC News this week, she hit out against Trump de-prioritising domestic issues. “I’m America First, America Only. Hardcore,” she proclaimed.

Beyond that, Greene has done her bit in floating a bill to end the nonimmigrant H-1B visa program in the US. In a bid to “make sure American workers come FIRST again,” she raised questions about 70% of these specialty occupation visas going to India, and 10-15% to China.

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s split from Trump

MTG has long questioned Trump’s involvement in global affairs and his “peacemaker” role, as the POTUS continues to claim credit for “solving” numerous wars. Even months ago, Greene took issue with the American leader intervening in the Iran-Israel conflict instead of focussing his energy on the United States.

“very time America is on the verge of greatness, we get involved in another foreign war. There would not be bombs falling on the people of Israel if Netanyahu had not dropped bombs on the people of Iran first. Israel is a nuclear armed nation. This is not our fight. Peace is the answer,” she wrote on X, while challenging Trump’s decision.

Greene also maintained that this very interference on the part of Donald Trump had become the cause of the “very big divide” among Republicans. And yet, she maintained that she still stood by the MAGA leader as his “most outspoken ally.”

ALSO READ

MTG has long showed signs of straying away from playing the Trump champion. The so-called Jeffrey Epstein Files ultimately became the final nail in the coffin. Greene emerged as one of the four Republicans (alongside 214 Democrats) signing a discharge petition demanding the release of all government-held documents related to the convicted sex offender, who shared much-disputed ties with Trump in the past.

As a response to MTG’s switching sides, Trump withdrew his endorsement of the politician. In a Friday Truth Social post, he wrote, “I am withdrawing my support and endorsement of ‘Congresswoman’ Marjorie Taylor Greene, of the great state of Georgia.” Calling her a “traitor” and “disgrace” to the Republican Party, he said, Greene had gone “far left.”

Marjorie Taylor Greene’s AFAO – A new variation of Trump’s MAGA?

As many will remember, Trump’s long-standing ‘America First’ stance powered his re-election campaign aesthetic ahead of the November 2024 presidential election. The same eventually empowered the official directives, proclamations and policy changes he’s currently ramping up to crack down on immigration. However, his ‘MAGA’ identity is not new. Having amassed a cult following, the slogan is now synonymously identified with Trump’s being.

The Republican leader first used it in his 2016 presidential campaign. Although it had already found multiple mentions in the country’s political history before Trump’s emergence, ‘MAGA’ only became as big as it is now with the 45th and 47th POTUS trademarking it through his election campaigns.

Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton had employed the slogan’s help before Trump him, but Trump was the only one who ultimately boosted its stature in alignment with Republicans’ agenda.

Read Next
‘Trump just attacked me’: Marjorie Taylor Greene spills reason behind breakup
US to limit Green cards, Trump levies ‘country specific’ factors
‘Eliminate corrupt H-1B program’: Marjorie Taylor Greene’s new bill targets Indian techies