GOP rep on Greene’s ‘national divorce’ remarks: divisive rhetoric ‘hurts this nation’

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) said on Sunday that divisive rhetoric “hurts this nation” when asked about recent remarks from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s (R-Ga.) calling for a “national divorce.”

During an appearance on ABC’s “This Week,” co-anchor Martha Raddatz pressed McCaul on his recent comments that Greene had “matured,” then asked if he still held that view.

“You know, I don’t speak for her. The great thing about this country is we can have political dialogue, discourse. We are democracy. We have differences of opinions,” McCaul told Raddatz.

“I will say a divisive rhetoric I think polarizes this nation and I think it hurts this nation,” he added. 

In a tweet earlier this week, Greene, a staunch ally of former President Trump, renewed her calls for a “national divorce” of the country.

“We need to separate by red states and blue states and shrink the federal government,” she wrote.

McCaul told Raddatz that politicians should instead seek ways to unify the country on issues including immigration, the economy and Russia’s war with Ukraine. 

“We should all be standing as Americans. I think when I go out across the country, that’s what people want to hear,” he said.

McCaul deflected questions last month about Greene’s assignments to the House Homeland Security and Oversight committees, noting that he was not the speaker of the House.

“I will tell you she has matured,” McCaul told Raddatz at the time. “I think she realizes she doesn’t know everything. And she wants to learn and become I think more of a team player.”

Many prominent figures from both sides of the political aisle have criticized Greene’s “national divorce” comments.

“This rhetoric is destructive and wrong and—honestly—evil,” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox tweeted. “We don’t need a divorce, we need marriage counseling.”