President Donald Trump has publicly called it quits with one of his most stalwart MAGA-world supporters, calling Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene “’Wacky’ Marjorie” and saying he would endorse a challenger against her in next year’s midterms “if the right person runs.”

The dismissal of Greene — once the epitome of MAGA, sporting the signature red cap for President Joe Biden’s 2024 State of the Union address and acting as a go-between for Trump and other Capitol Hill Republicans — appeared to be the final break in a dispute simmering for months, as Greene has seemingly moderated her political profile. The three-term U.S. House member has increasingly dissented from Republican leaders, attacking them during the just-ended federal government shutdown and saying they need a plan to help people who are losing subsidies to afford health insurance policies.

Accusing the Georgia Republican of going “Far Left,” Trump wrote that all he had witnessed from Greene in recent months is “COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN!” adding, of Greene’s purported irritation that he doesn’t return her phone calls, “I can’t take a ranting Lunatic’s call every day.”

In a response on X, Greene wrote Friday that Trump had “attacked me and lied about me.” She added a screenshot of a text she said she had sent the president earlier in the day about releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files, which she said “is what sent him over the edge.”

Greene called it “astonishing really how hard he’s fighting to stop the Epstein files from coming out that he actually goes to this level,” referencing next week’s U.S. House vote over releasing the Epstein files.

Writing that she had supported Trump “with too much of my precious time, too much of my own money, and fought harder for him even when almost all other Republicans turned their back and denounced him,” Greene added: “I don’t worship or serve Donald Trump.”

Trump’s post seemingly tied a bow of finality to fissures that widened following this month’s off-cycle elections, in which voters in the New Jersey and Virginia governor races flocked to Democrats in large part over concerns about the cost of living.

Last week, Greene told NBC News that “watching the foreign leaders come to the White House through a revolving door is not helping Americans,” saying that Trump needs to focus on high prices at home rather than his recent emphasis on foreign affairs. Trump responded by saying that Greene had “lost her way.”

Asked about Greene’s comments earlier Friday as he flew from Washington to Florida, Trump said reiterated that he felt “something happened to her over the last month or two,” saying that, if he hadn’t gone to China to meet leader Xi Jinping, there would have been negative ramifications for jobs in Georgia and elsewhere because China would have kept its curbs on magnet exports.

Saying that people have been calling him, wanting to challenge Greene, Trump added: “She’s lost a wonderful conservative reputation.”

Greene’s discontent dates back at least to May, when she announced she wouldn’t run for the Senate against Democratic incumbent Jon Ossoff, while attacking GOP donors and consultants who feared she couldn’t win. In June, she publicly sided with Tucker Carlson after Trump called the commentator “kooky” in a schism that emerged between MAGA and national security hardliners over possible U.S. efforts at regime change in Iran.

That only intensified in July, when Greene said she wouldn’t run for governor. Then, she attacked a political “good ole boy” system, alleging it was endangering Republican control of the state. Greene embarked on a charm offensive in recent weeks, with interviews and appearances in media aimed at people who aren’t hardcore Trump supporters. Asked on comedian Tim Dillon’s podcast if she wanted to run for president in 2028, Greene said in October, “I hate politics so much” and just wanted “to fix problems” — but didn’t give a definitive answer.

That climaxed with an appearance on Bill Maher’s HBO show “Real Time,” followed days later by a Nov. 4 appearance on ABC’s “The View.” Some observers began pronouncing Greene as reasonable as she trashed Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana for not calling Republicans back to Washington and coming up with a health care plan.

“I feel like I’m sitting next to a completely different Marjorie Taylor Greene,” said “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin.

“Maybe you should become a Democrat, Marjorie,” said co-host Joy Behar.

“I’m not a Democrat,” Greene replied. “I think both parties have failed.”

Jeff Amy contributed reporting from Atlanta. Meg Kinnard can be reached at http://x.com/MegKinnardAP

EUGENE, Ore. — Gophers Athletics Director Mark Coyle took issue with the disparity in punishments for rule-breaking Big Ten programs on Friday.

During the KFAN pregame show before the Oregon game, Coyle rhetorically asked host Justin Gaard to describe something to him.

“Off air, you are going to have to explain to me how Michigan State had to vacate wins, but somebody else didn’t,” Coyle said.

Coyle was clearly comparing Michigan State to rival Michigan.

Gaard followed up with Coyle, asking if he wanted to “flesh it out,” but Coyle declined. “I do not,” he said.

Earlier this week, the Spartans were placed on three years of probation by the NCAA for recruiting violations during coach Mel Tucker’s tenure and have to vacate 15 wins, including five under current head coach Jonathan Smith.

Michigan, for its sign-stealing scheme during its run to the 2024 national championship, received a series of fines from the NCAA in August that could reach $30 million. But the Wolverines avoided vacating victories or a postseason ban.

Before he opened up that can of worms, Coyle said he is proud of how his programs at Minnesota follow the rules. After the Michigan State news came out, he said he messaged head coach P.J. Fleck that said, “I appreciate the way you do things.”

Coyle said he also texted other coaches, including Niko Medved, Dawn Plitzuweit, Bob Motzko and Keegan Cook.

Related Articles

Gophers running back Darius Taylor in line to return vs. Oregon

Women’s hockey: No. 2 Gophers pull away from Bemidji State

How former Gophers have performed in the NFL this season?

LOVB plans to start professional volleyball team in Minnesota

Gophers recruit Charlie Jilek flips commitment to Texas

A magical ride continued Friday for the Spring Lake Park football team, which won just four games each of the last two seasons but will play for the Class 5A state title next weekend after a 39-23 semifinal victory over St. Thomas Academy at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Trailing by five points at halftime, the Panthers exploded for 20 points in fewer than eight minutes to begin the third quarter. Spring Lake Park running back Lamari Brown rushed 29 times for 136 yards and two touchdowns, quarterback Nolan Roach carried 14 times for 205 yards and two touchdowns and E.J. Monluo ran twice for 48 yards and a touchdown.

The Panthers (12-0) intercepted two passes, recovered an onside kick and executed a successful fake punt. They will face the winner of Saturday’s Elk River vs. Chanhassen semifinal.

St. Thomas Academy coach Travis Walch tipped his cap to an opponent which last won a state title in 1991.

“You can’t give up a possession on special teams, whether it’s a fake punt or an onsides kick; you’re not going to win those games and that’s squarely on my shoulders,” said Walch, whose 11-1 team allowed the Panthers nearly 400 yards of offense.

“I don’t think anyone thought we’d hold them to 100 yards, but we thought we’d protect the ball… and play really good special teams. Sometimes, you just have to say the other team did a really good job.”

John Stewart, Spring Lake Park’s eighth-year coach, said it was evident during the offseason that his 30 seniors were tired of slipshod preparation. Not only did they work harder and smarter, they paid attention to smaller details, such as arraying themselves in perfectly straight lines for drills.

“They came in with a different attitude to our discipline,” Stewart said. “It became about doing the little things right and then momentum kept building.”

St. Thomas Academy’s second snap of the third quarter led to quarterback Tristan Karl throwing a slant well behind his intended receiver and Spring Lake Park’s Marcus Snyder intercepting the ball, returning it 26 yards for a touchdown.

An attempted 2-point conversion failed, but the Panthers led 18-17. Sam Wolde’s subsequent, onsides kick slithered along the turf and up the body of Cadet George Plum. He was flattened by Sawyer Thomsen a split second later, allowing Travis Holby to recover.

“We’ve been pretty aggressive over the years,” said Stewart, who had his team go for it four times on fourth down Friday, with two of those attempts resulting in first downs. “We have a special-teams coordinator who puts together some amazing fakes and different kick strategies and is great at calling them at opportune times.

“In a game like this, you’ve gotta take some chances.”

Spring Lake Park then ran the ball six consecutive times, the last a 25-yard touchdown on a pitchout from Roach to Monluo, who beat Todd Rogalski to the pylon on the right side. Wolde’s extra point put his team up 25-17 fewer than four minutes into the third quarter.

The Panthers pulled away after forcing a three-and-out on the Cadets’ next possession. Four more running plays brought another touchdown, this one a 5-yard dash up the middle by Brown, who somersaulted over the goal line. Wolde’s kick made it 32-17.

St. Thomas Academy cut its deficit to 32-23 after Rogalski’s 7-yard touchdown run with five minutes remaining. The Cadets recovered an onsides kick of their own, but a Rogalski pass off an end-around handoff was intercepted by Jamal Smith to effectively end any thought of a comeback.

Roach completed 3 of 8 passes for 30 yards and Karl hit on 8 of 14 attempts for 109 yards. St., Thomas Academy rushing standout Dominic Baez was held to 47 yards and a touchdown in 15 carries.

Rogalski carried seven times for 104 yards and two touchdowns, and caught three passes for 11 yards. Baez hauled in two tosses for 70 yards.

“Our maturity level has increased dramatically over the last eight months,” said Roach, whose hair, like that of many of his teammates, is bleached blond for the postseason. “When we’re down, we stick with it and we’re able to finish (games) so much better than in previous years.”

Related Articles

Girls state swimming: Como Park’s Aleia Lueck has top 50 free prelim

High School Football: Edina wins thriller over Minnetonka in 6A semifinals

High School Football: Friday’s state semifinal predictions

High school football: ‘Big play Todd’ Rogalski is St. Thomas Academy’s rare three-way star

High School Football: River Falls lives up to Day 1 promise with historic run to state semis

South winds and sunny skies helped to set a temperature record in the Twin Cities on Friday.

The daily high temperature was 72 degrees at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. That broke the old record of 71, set in 1990.

That was also the warmest temperature so late in the season in records dating to 1872, according to the Minnesota State Climatology Office.

The average high temperature for Nov. 14 is 43, 29 degrees below Friday’s record.

A weak cold front is expected to return Twin Cities temperatures closer to normal for the next few days. Still, the autumn of 2025 is likely to rank in the top 10 warmest on record.

St. Cloud also matched its previous high temperature record (set in 1990) with a Friday maximum of 68.

This autumn has also continued to see little precipitation, with nearly 63% of the state experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions.

Related Articles

Lino Lakes woman is named Hockey Mom of the Year

Man fatally shot after Clearwater County authorities say he discharged flare at officers

Autopsy: 1967 crash killed Minnesota man found dead in submerged car

Walz executive order aims to provide food aid for veterans, families

Fairview Health Services, UMN Physicians partnership draws criticism from U administrators