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This week, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene had a heated exchange with British reporter Martha Kelner at the U.S. Capitol.
The confrontation occurred after a congressional subcommittee hearing titled “Anti-American Airwaves: Holding the Heads of NPR and PBS Accountable,” which focused on alleged political bias in U.S. public broadcasting.
During the hearing, Greene, a Republican from Georgia’s 14th congressional district, asserted that NPR and PBS had become “radical left-wing echo chambers.”
She accused NPR of promoting a “communist agenda” and portrayed both outlets as adversaries of conservative values.
After his testimony, Greene exited the Capitol Visitor Center to speak with journalists gathered to cover the event. At that moment, Martha Kelner from Sky News interrupted the discussion.
Kelner pressed Greene on whether she had seen the explosive Atlantic articles titled “The Trump Administration Accidentally Texted Me Its War Plans” and “Here Are the Attack Plans That Trump’s Advisers Shared on Signal.”
Documents reveal that Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth and his colleagues inadvertently shared classified military files with journalist Jeffrey Goldberg via Signal.
Greene swiftly interrupted to shut down the question, forcefully rejecting any comparison between NPR, PBS, and The Atlantic.
After brushing off the topic as irrelevant, Greene criticized the media and quickly moved past the question period. However, Kelner persisted, pressing for clarity on the security risks posed by the leak of classified attack details in an unprotected chat.
Rather than responding to Kelner, Greene redirected her attention to another reporter. When Kelner took another opportunity to ask her question, Greene’s demeanor shifted.
“Wait, what country are you from?” Greene interjected.
After Kelner disclosed that she was British, Greene erupted into a verbal tirade.
“Our thoughts on your journalistic work don’t concern us at all,” she snapped. “Why insist on staying in a country facing severe immigration challenges? Go back to your own country—your focus should be on your own national issues.”
Kelner attempted to steer the discussion back to U.S. security, referencing the classified military documents leaked on Signal. However, rather than shifting her stance, Greene doubled down.
“You should be helping people in your home country,” Greene retorted. She then pivoted to a different topic, demanding to know whether Kelner had reported on the abuse of women by migrant men. Greene dismissed the information being presented to her, refusing to engage with the original question.
After the American journalist stated his nationality and sought clarification on Kelner’s original question, Greene remained steadfast.
“I’m not answering her question because I don’t care about her network,” Greene responded, instead shifting the focus to the Biden administration. She accused it of having “ripped open” U.S. borders, allowing “terrorists and cartel members” to enter the country.
Greene expressed continued gratitude to President Trump, crediting him with steering America away from wars. She claimed that under his leadership, the conflict in Ukraine had been resolved, whereas Biden’s presidency would have put American troops at risk.
When pressed again about Defense Secretary Hegseth and the Signal leak, Greene abruptly ended the briefing.
At that moment, Greene openly rejected any obligation to answer for her actions.
“Absolutely not,” she declared. “He’s doing a great job.”
Video footage of the exchange quickly went public, sparking widespread outrage over Greene’s perceived prejudice against immigrants and her dismissive attitude toward foreign journalists.
Meanwhile, calls for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s resignation intensified, with Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries leading the charge. He labeled Hegseth “the most unqualified Secretary of Defense in American history.”
“His continued leadership at the Pentagon endangers national security and puts our brave men and women in uniform at risk worldwide,” Jeffries added.
He went on to condemn Hegseth’s actions against American forces, stating they had violated multiple regulations and laws. “The government must remove Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth from his role immediately.”
However, Donald Trump, now in his second term as U.S. President, defended Hegseth, insisting the leak contained “no classified information.” He also voiced support for National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, calling him “a good man” who had “learned a lesson.”
What began as a routine press briefing following a congressional hearing quickly escalated into an international controversy, as Greene’s aggressive and combative remarks on national issues drew widespread attention.
