Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene apologized on CNN after anchor Dana Bash pressed her about inflammatory political rhetoric and specific past social media posts. Greene said she is "committed" to "put down the knives in politics" and acknowledged the criticism while noting she had addressed some controversies in 2021. Bash also questioned Greene about her 2022 appearance at an event hosted by Nick Fuentes and raised concerns about antisemitic rhetoric; Greene denied being antisemitic and distinguished criticism of Israel from attacks on Jewish people. The interview highlighted wider debates over the line between provocative speech and hateful language.
Marjorie Taylor Greene Apologizes on CNN, Pledges to ‘Put Down the Knives’ After Confrontation Over Toxic Rhetoric
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene apologized on CNN after anchor Dana Bash pressed her about inflammatory political rhetoric and specific past social media posts. Greene said she is "committed" to "put down the knives in politics" and acknowledged the criticism while noting she had addressed some controversies in 2021. Bash also questioned Greene about her 2022 appearance at an event hosted by Nick Fuentes and raised concerns about antisemitic rhetoric; Greene denied being antisemitic and distinguished criticism of Israel from attacks on Jewish people. The interview highlighted wider debates over the line between provocative speech and hateful language.
12:46 AM, 11/17/2025Politics
Marjorie Taylor Greene Apologizes for Toxic Political Rhetoric
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) offered a surprising apology on CNN's State of the Union after anchor Dana Bash pressed her about the role of inflammatory political speech and examples from her past social media posts.
Bash pointed out that President Donald Trump recently called Greene a "traitor," and noted Greene had not publicly objected when similar language was used about others in previous years. Bash also raised specific controversial posts and a removed 2020 Facebook image that critics said encouraged violence against political opponents.
Dana Bash: "Obviously, any threats to your safety are completely unacceptable. But we have seen these kinds of attacks or criticism from the President at other people. It’s not new. And, with respect, I haven’t heard you speak out about it until it was directed at you."
Greene accepted the criticism. "I think that's fair criticism," she responded, and added a mea culpa that surprised many viewers: "Humbly, I'm sorry for taking part in the toxic politics. It's very bad for our country. I'm only responsible for myself and my own words and actions... I am committed — and I've been working on this a lot lately — to put down the knives in politics. I really just want to see people be kind to one another."
Bash pressed for clarity on whether Greene regretted specific past posts, citing items such as a removed 2020 Facebook image that depicted threats toward members of "the Squad," posts encouraging aggressive action against "socialists," and a liked tweet that referenced violence toward public figures. Greene said she had addressed those controversies previously in 2021 and reiterated she does not want to cause harm.
Marjorie Taylor Greene: "I addressed that back in 2021. I never want to cause any harm or anything bad for anyone... I stand by my words then, and I stand by my words today. I think America needs to come together and end all the toxic, dangerous rhetoric and divide."
The interview later turned to Greene's ties to far-right figures, including her appearance at an event hosted by Nick Fuentes in 2022. Bash cited concern among some Republicans about the rise of antisemitic hard-right voices and referenced a clip in which Fuentes suggested Greene had lied about not knowing him.
Greene acknowledged she spoke at Fuentes' event in 2022 but said she did not have a personal relationship with him. She denied being antisemitic and distinguished criticism of the government of Israel from attacks on Jewish people.
Dana Bash: "There's free speech, and then there is hate speech... he has denied the Holocaust, called Adolf Hitler ‘effing cool,’ and expressed other hateful views."
Greene reiterated her pledge to move away from harsh partisan rhetoric: "I'm committed to ending the toxic politics... I myself am not antisemitic. I have never criticized the Jewish people or said anything about them in particular. I am critical of the government of Israel, and I can criticize any government I want to in the entire world."
Bash closed by noting that while Greene has denied antisemitism, some past posts she has apologized for included language and tropes long used against Jewish people. The exchange underscored tensions within conservative circles over the boundaries between provocative political speech and statements that many consider hateful or dangerous.
Video clip via CNN.