What Marjorie Taylor Greene was texting Mark Meadows about martial law after Jan. 6

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), who is currently fending off a constitutional challenge to her congressional candidacy, said in court on Friday that she could not recall whether or not she implored former President Donald Trump to impose martial law to stay in power after the 2020 election.
On Monday, however, CNN published a trove of messages belonging to former Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, in which Greene is shown to have contacted the official regarding such a declaration (though she referred to it as "Marshall law").
"In our private chat with only members, several are saying the only way to save our republic is for Trump to call for Marshall law," Greene texted Meadows on Jan. 17, 2021, after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. "I don't know on those things. I just wanted you to tell him. They stole this election. We all know."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"They will destroy our country next," she added.
The group advocating against Greene's candidacy has argued she is ineligible for re-election under the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which bars lawmakers who supported or participated in an insurrection from serving again. Greene, however, denies participating in or engaging with the riot.
On Jan. 6, Greene texted Meadows asking him to tell Trump to "calm people" as the riot unfolded. "This isn't the way to solve anything," she wrote.
The lawmaker sent Meadows another message on Jan. 7: "Yesterday was a terrible day. ... I don't think that President Trump caused the attack on the Capitol. It's not his fault." Greene added that there was "no excuse" for what happened, and she "fully" denounced all of it, but people felt like they had "no other choice."
"Thanks Majorie," Meadows replied. Read more at CNN.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
What to know as student loan collections resume
the explainer The restart comes as part of the Trump administration's reversal of Biden-era policies
-
'We already have the tools to do better'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Kurdish PKK militia to disband for Turkey talks
speed read The Kurdistan Workers' Party will disarm after four decades of armed conflict with Turkey, putting an end to 'one of the longest insurgencies in the Middle East'
-
Qatar luxury jet gift clouds Trump trip to Mideast
speed read Qatar is said to be presenting Trump with a $400 million plane, which would be among the biggest foreign gifts ever received by the US government
-
Trump taps Fox News' Pirro for DC attorney post
speed read The president has named Fox News host Jeanine Pirro to be the top federal prosecutor for Washington, replacing acting US Attorney Ed Martin
-
Trump, UK's Starmer outline first post-tariff deal
speed read President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Kier Starmer struck a 'historic' agreement to eliminate some of the former's imposed tariffs
-
Fed leaves rates unchanged as Powell warns on tariffs
speed read The Federal Reserve says the risks of higher inflation and unemployment are increasing under Trump's tariffs
-
Denmark to grill US envoy on Greenland spying report
speed read The Trump administration ramped up spying on Greenland, says reporting by The Wall Street Journal
-
Supreme Court allows transgender troop ban
speed read The US Supreme Court will let the Trump administration begin executing its ban on transgender military service members
-
Hollywood confounded by Trump's film tariff idea
speed read President Trump proposed a '100% tariff' on movies 'produced in foreign lands'
-
Trump offers migrants $1,000 to 'self-deport'
speed read The Department of Homeland Security says undocumented immigrants can leave the US in a more 'dignified way'