Trump’s Epstein Problem
Published in Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung
(Germany) on 16 November 2025
by Oliver Kühn (link to
original)
Trump is shutting Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene out of the MAGA movement because of insubordinate comments. The primary issue is the Epstein affair, but the conflict goes deeper.
It’s familiar behavior for Donald Trump: When he is under pressure, he lashes out. Now, it has affected Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. She has the audacity to demand that the files from the Department of Justice’s investigations into Jeffrey Epstein be released. And that, despite the fact that Trump has debunked the whole affair as a Democratic “hoax” and declared that it is over.
With his public insults, Trump has opened the far-right politician up to criticism from his followers. Now, after major hostilities, Greene fears for her safety*. Trump wants to make an example of the representative, who was previously one of his loudest supporters; those who break ranks with him will be expelled from the movement.
The conflict goes deeper, though. Greene represents the isolationist part of Trump’s Make America Great Again base. That part of his base does not like that the president is traveling around and dealing with other countries’ conflicts. They prefer that he stay at home and solve the problems of the “forgotten Americans.”
Most of the dissatisfied isolationists are far from breaking away from Trump. But what if they stay at home during the congressional elections next November? Trump needs to learn that he can’t just coerce his followers with a stick; he also needs to offer a carrot.
*Editor's note: On Friday, Nov. 21, Marjorie Taylor Greene announced her resignation from Congress, effective Jan. 5, 2006.
It’s familiar behavior for Donald Trump: When he is under pressure, he lashes out. Now, it has affected Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. She has the audacity to demand that the files from the Department of Justice’s investigations into Jeffrey Epstein be released. And that, despite the fact that Trump has debunked the whole affair as a Democratic “hoax” and declared that it is over.
With his public insults, Trump has opened the far-right politician up to criticism from his followers. Now, after major hostilities, Greene fears for her safety*. Trump wants to make an example of the representative, who was previously one of his loudest supporters; those who break ranks with him will be expelled from the movement.
The conflict goes deeper, though. Greene represents the isolationist part of Trump’s Make America Great Again base. That part of his base does not like that the president is traveling around and dealing with other countries’ conflicts. They prefer that he stay at home and solve the problems of the “forgotten Americans.”
Most of the dissatisfied isolationists are far from breaking away from Trump. But what if they stay at home during the congressional elections next November? Trump needs to learn that he can’t just coerce his followers with a stick; he also needs to offer a carrot.
*Editor's note: On Friday, Nov. 21, Marjorie Taylor Greene announced her resignation from Congress, effective Jan. 5, 2006.
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