Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) made a faux pas Wednesday as she grilled Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray. She seemed to forget he’s with the FBI, not Homeland Security.
Greene was holding up enlarged photos from a pro-Palestine rally held Oct. 18 at the U.S. Capitol and referenced a group called Global Intifada. She indicated the group has ties the Southern Poverty Law Center, a U.S. organization that provides information about hate groups. Some conservative lawmakers have criticized the FBI for relying on the SPLC for data.
“I haven’t seen the photos you’re holding up before,” said Wray.
“Well, I posted them on my Twitter account – it’s public,” Green snapped back. To that, Wray informed her that he doesn’t spend much time on the social media site, now officially called X.
“I’m sure you do, because the Department of Homeland Security… organized with other offices, has censored many Americans, including myself,” said Greene in what the Daily Beast called an “embarrassing” exchange.
“I’m not part of the Department of Homeland Security,” Wray said, calmly.
“Right, Mr. Wray, you should be interested in investigating terrorism,” Greene – who, as of this January was named as a member of the Homeland Security committee – continued. She also claimed that attendees at the deadly Capitol Riot were “innocent grandmas” and “veterans” and compared protestors who staged a sit in over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war to the riot.
Hamas, a Palestinian terrorist organization, attacked Israel in early October, killing around 1,400 people and leading Israel to declare war. Since then, some protestors have been calling for a ceasefire, as some Palestinian civilians have not been able to make it out of Gaza, where Israel is seeking to eliminate Hamas. At the same time, antisemitism is reaching historic levels in the U.S., Wray told Congress earlier this month.
In response to Greene’s questioning, Wray said the FBI investigates individuals linked to Hamas based on longstanding standards. During the hearing he also emphasized the “heightened threat environment” in the U.S. stemming from the Israel-Hamas war, according to Newsweek.
KNSS also reported that Greene grilled DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on his border policies. Last month, the Audacy station reported on Greene’s call to censure pro-Palestinian Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.). Tlaib was eventually censured, according to CBS News.
Per the outlet, people soon took to X to lampoon Greene for her mistake, including former Republican President Donald Trump’s niece, Mary Trump.