'Grow some courage and a spine': MTG refuses to go along with Trump's shutdown narrative

President Donald Trump has consistently blamed Democrats for the ongoing federal government shutdown, and his administration has put its messaging on both government websites and even auto-responses for government workers' emails. But Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is bucking the administration and placing blame squarely on the shoulders of her fellow Republicans.

The Daily Beast reported Friday that Greene outlined her complaints with Senate Republicans in a recent interview with far-right conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' Infowars. According to the Georgia Republican, Republicans have the power to end the shutdown unilaterally with 51 votes.

"Right now this shutdown is a big political fight and drama, but it doesn’t have to be happening," the GOP firebrand said. "The Senate can use the nuclear option and override the 60-vote rule. They can pass the [continuing resolution] with a simple majority."

Greene went on to accuse her fellow Republicans of "playing games" with Americans' lives and finances. She pointed out that essential government workers — like TSA agents, air traffic controllers and others forced to work during the shutdown — are not being paid at a time of significant economic tension for working-class Americans.

"These are single moms that, you know, people have hit hard times over the past four years because of inflation, and the cost of living is extremely high right now," Greene said. "And so I don’t think that these vulnerable Americans should pay the price because of politics in Washington, D.C. I believe that soon, the Republican senators need to actually grow some courage and a spine."

Greene's blaming of Republicans for the shutdown is consistent with a recent Washington Post poll, which found that a plurality of respondents (47 percent) blame Trump and Republicans for federal agencies being shuttered. 30 percent of those surveyed blamed Democrats, and 23 percent were unsure who to blame.

Despite the Georgia lawmaker not abiding by Trump's explanation for the shutdown, she insisted she remained firmly in the president's camp, and called on her fellow Republicans to codify his actions into law.

“I support President Trump,” Greene said. “I campaigned for him very hard, but I am frustrated at the fact that we aren’t passing bills to make his policies permanent."

Click here to read the Beast's full report (subscription required).