How supporter of conspiracy theories and Russian propaganda increases influence in US Congress

Even if you don’t follow US politics closely and don’t know the names of American Congressmen, you could hardly have missed hearing about Marjorie Taylor Greene – or at least her initiatives regarding Ukraine.

The American Congresswoman put forward a series of the most abhorrent (and, let’s be honest, idiotic) amendments to the Ukraine aid bill.

Read more about where she came from, what her views really are and her influence in the article by Oleh Pavliuk, a European Pravda’s journalist – For Trump, Putin and conspiracy theories: all about Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ukraine’s critic in US Congress.

Until 2018, even experts in US politics knew nothing about Marjorie Taylor Greene. She wasn’t a politician. By her own admission, she didn’t even vote.

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But what led Greene to politics, which she had openly despised before?

The inspirational person who changed Greene’s views was Donald Trump.

“To me, he was someone I could relate to, someone that I enjoyed his plain talk, not the offensive things, but just the way he talked normally. And I thought, ‘Finally, maybe this is someone that will do something about the things that deeply bother me’,” the congresswoman recounted in 2021. 

In October 2016, Greene made her first donation to a political campaign – Donald Trump’s. But even then, the businesswoman didn’t make it to a polling station.

“And I stumbled across something – and this was at the end of 2017 – called Anon,” the Republican recounted. 

Back in 2016, Greene discovered and joined various conspiracy theorists’ online communities. The following year, she published nearly sixty posts on the now-blocked website American Truth Seekers.

Although Greene later renounced some of the conspiracy theories and apologised for her controversial and incorrect views and support for QAnon as soon as she was elected, she did make another reference to “Democrat paedophiles” last year.

Greene herself describes her political views as “Christian nationalist.”

As far as her legislative work in the House of Representatives is concerned, in her first year Greene was remembered more for being removed from Congressional committees for making controversial remarks, quarrelling with colleagues regardless of their party affiliation, and blocking bills.

However, Marjorie Taylor Greene’s influence cannot be denied.

Her controversial statements have gained her extensive media coverage and made her very popular among a certain section of the Republican electorate: she was among the top fundraisers for future campaigns. Her communication style and views ensure she remains popular in her district in Georgia, and she was easily reelected to Congress in 2022.

She is one of Donald Trump’s most loyal supporters and enjoys his respect.

Greene’s views on the war in Ukraine have been consistently anti-Ukrainian.

Her views have made her a favourite of Russian propagandists.