Marjorie Taylor Greene says she has Trump’s backing amid heightened calls for his ouster.

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said on Saturday she spoke with former President Donald Trump, saying he offered his support at a time when Republican leaders are under increased pressure to punish first-year lawmakers for the way she behaved towards her colleagues, her adherence to conspiracy theories. , and past statements in which it has spouted extremist and racist rhetoric. “I had a great call with my all-time favorite POTUS President Trump! I am very grateful for his support, ” Georgian lawmaker tweeted on Saturday morning. “The bloodthirsty media and socialists hate America. Democrats attack me now like they always attack President Trump. She then “promised” that she would not “back down” and “never apologize”.

A Trump spokesperson did not comment on the call, and Greene’s office did not provide additional details either. But the alleged call comes at a time when Republican Party leaders are under pressure to punish the controversial lawmaker and some Democrats have even demanded his ouster. As other examples surface of his support for dangerous and baseless conspiracy theories and even his apparent endorsement of the murder of top Democratic leaders, Republicans have remained largely silent. The situation reflects the divisions that exist among Republicans as the party tries to decide how it will move forward without Trump in the White House.

Senator Mitt Romney, who was the only Republican senator to vote to convict Trump in the impeachment trial, criticized both the former president and the freshman lawmaker. “Lies from a feather come together: Marjorie Taylor Greene’s nonsense and the ‘big lie’ of a stolen election,” Romney tweeted.

Trump’s alleged backing came a day after Rep. Cori Bush, a first-year Democrat, said she was moving away from Greene. Bush said Greene “berated” her in a hallway and said she would move her office “for the safety of my team.” Minority House Leader Kevin McCarthy has said he will speak with Greene next week, but it’s unclear if that means there will be any real consequences for the first-year lawmaker. At least 50 House Democrats have called for Greene’s removal from Congress. Greene sent a warning to all Republican leaders considering punishing her on Friday. “If the Republicans curl up in front of the crowd, and let the Democrats and the fake media get me out,” Ms. Greene said, “they open the door ahead after every Republican until there are none left.”

McCarthy vowed to speak to Greene after reports surfaced in Facebook posts she wrote discussing the execution of Democrats before being elected to Congress. “These comments are deeply disturbing and Chief McCarthy plans to have a conversation with the MP about them,” McCarthy’s spokesperson said earlier this week.

While some Republicans want McCarthy to send a clear message that the party will not support lawmakers who back conspiracy theories, others worry what it will do to a large part of their supporters who are still loyal to the conspiracy. Trump. And though some are now trying to portray her as an outsider, the Washington Post details how many key party leaders embraced her in her rise to power despite her history of spreading lies and penchant for violent rhetoric.