There are observations that President Donald Trump's standing within the Republican Party has recently been shaken. His allies are turning their backs one by one, as shown by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, known as one of Trump's closest confidants, suddenly announcing her resignation.
According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 23rd, lawmakers openly defying President Trump have been emerging one after another, raising the possibility that the president's position in the party could be weakened. Recently, Trump faced overlapping setbacks, including a drop in approval ratings and a rout in local elections due to an excessive immigration policy and rising prices, and to make matters worse, the so-called "loyalists" are now peeling away.
A prime example is Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who suddenly released her resignation on the 21st. In a video posted to her X (formerly Twitter) account that day, Greene declared, "I will resign from Congress as of Jan. 5 next year," and explained her reasons by saying she was being "treated like an abused wife forced to endure."
Greene, classified as a hard-line conservative, has cemented her image as part of Trump's staunch MAGA (Make America Great Again) base, but she has recently taken opposing stances to the president on key issues.
For example, she criticized that President Trump should focus on domestic issues such as prices and health insurance instead of concentrating on foreign affairs, and she publicly urged that he should not stand in the way of releasing the files of the late billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This is seen as an especially unusual move within the MAGA camp, where loyalty contests are intense.
In fact, the term "lame duck" (a leader, such as a president nearing the end of a term, or a period of leadership vacuum) has been spreading in Washington. Political outlet Politico, highlighting the Republican Party's crushing defeat in the elections for governor and other offices held on the 4th, said "President Trump's lame-duck period has begun," compounded by deepening intra-party divisions over the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
On top of this, Republican lawmakers cannot ignore next year's midterm elections. CNN said, "Republicans are voicing frustration with President Trump's focus on foreign policy, his lack of understanding of household burdens, and the spectacle of his family accumulating wealth," adding, "You will hear the term lame duck more often." U.S. Vice President JD Vance has already appealed to Republican lawmakers by addressing the internal conflict, saying, "Remember that we have more in common than differences."
Still, there are views that Trump will maintain influence based on his core support base and that the ranks will not collapse for the time being. Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland noted, "It is premature to conclude that Republicans' grip on Congress has completely broken free from Trump," adding, "Most will seek President Trump's endorsement to survive party primaries."