Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia ripped into fellow Republican Lindsey Graham, South Carolina senator, over funding for Israel amid the ongoing war in Gaza.
Newsweek reached out to the State Department via online form Thursday for additional comment.
Why It Matters
The exchange reflects an ongoing split within sections of the Republican coalition over U.S. policy toward Israel, Iran and broader Middle East involvement, highlighting tensions between isolationist “America First” Republicans and party figures who have urged stronger U.S. backing for Israel.
What To Know
In a lengthy post to X, formerly Twitter, Greene attacked Graham over his Israel commentary, as the senator said, in part: “If Israel wanted to commit genocide, they could. They have the capability to do that. They choose not to. Hamas, they would commit genocide in 30 seconds.”
Replying to his video, Greene remarked that it was “quite a statement and is an acknowledgment that nuclear armed Israel is more than capable of defending themselves, by themselves, and not only defeating their enemies, but completely wiping them out! So why is America funding them and fighting for them??!!! We should not be!! And it is not a matter of supporting either Israel or Hamas, as he suggest [sic], which is ridiculous.”
Greene continued to note that Graham does not have children, while saying her motherhood fuels her “fierce invested interest to be ALL IN to save America.”
“Funding and blindly supporting an ally who is starving children is not going to bring God’s favor on America, as a matter of fact, I’ll argue it will instead bring God’s wrath,” Greene later said. “America’s intervention should be to stop the war and work for peace and demand the release of the poor Oct 7th hostages, while equally demanding to stop the genocide and humanitarian crisis in Gaza.”
Israel and Iran were recently embroiled in a “12 day war,” dubbed by President Donald Trump, which ended in a fragile ceasefire agreement.
Senator Graham confidently says the quiet part out loud, “If Israel wanted to commit genocide they could. They have the capacity to do that.”
That is quite a statement and is an acknowledgment that nuclear armed Israel is more than capable of defending themselves, by themselves,… https://t.co/FPLi0DOkGj
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) August 14, 2025
What People Are Saying
Greene concluded in her post: “Lastly, American’s hard earned tax dollars should go to AMERICA ONLY!!! If we are going to pull the plug on anything, we should pull the damn plug on FUNDING FOREIGN WARS AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES!!!!!!!”
Graham on X this month: “Enough already. Hamas stands in the way of peace. Israel is our greatest ally in the Middle East, and we will always stand with them.”
Trump on Truth Social in June: “CONGRATULATIONS TO EVERYONE! It has been fully agreed by and between Israel and Iran that there will be a Complete and Total CEASEFIRE (in approximately 6 hours from now, when Israel and Iran have wound down and completed their in progress, final missions!), for 12 hours, at which point the War will be considered, ENDED! Officially, Iran will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 12th Hour, Israel will start the CEASEFIRE and, upon the 24th Hour, an Official END to THE 12 DAY WAR will be saluted by the World. During each CEASEFIRE, the other side will remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL.”
Trump continued: “On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR.’ This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.”
Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, on X in July: “The Netanyahu government’s extermination of Gaza intensifies. Malnutrition is rampant, children are starving to death, people are shot while waiting for meager food rations — and US weapons allow it to happen. Trump and Congress must act NOW. Stop the slaughter. Feed the people.”
What Happens Next
The confrontation illustrates continuing intraparty clashes over foreign policy that could shape Republican messaging and congressional votes on potential foreign aid packages. Observers and party officials could face pressure to clarify positions ahead of any legislative decisions on aid to Israel or measures related to Iran.
Separately, Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin are set to meet Friday in Anchorage, Alaska, amid ongoing conversations about a potential ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine.
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