Marjorie Taylor Greene is once again calling for a “peaceful national divorce.” On September 15, she posted on X that “there is nothing left to talk about with the left,” accused Democrats of celebrating Charlie Kirk’s death, and wrote the nation is “too far gone and too far divided.” She told her followers to put their faith in God and to “tighten your circle around your family.”
Georgia’s Response
Greene’s home state leaders aren’t following her. Gov. Brian Kemp ordered flags lowered to half-staff after Kirk’s killing and called it “evil.” Sen. Raphael Warnock said from the Senate floor that “there is nothing more anti-democratic than political violence.” Georgia Republican Party chair Josh McKoon urged people — “especially on the left” — to denounce violence plainly. While their statements differed in levels of blame and finger-pointing, none of them endorsed Greene’s demand for splitting the country.
The Facts
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed September 10 during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. More than 3,000 people were in the crowd. A suspect, 22-year-old Tyler Robinson, was arrested September 12. The FBI says DNA from the rifle and other evidence ties Robinson to the crime. Officials say he acted alone, but they have not officially established a motive. A public memorial for Kirk is scheduled for September 21.
Greene’s History With Secession Talk
Greene has called for divorce before. In 2021 she asked her supporters whether red states and blue states should “separate.” In February 2023 she went further, suggesting new residents in red states from blue ones should face restrictions on voting. Her fellow Republicans — including Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Sen. Mitt Romney, and former Rep. Liz Cheney — all denounced the idea.
Legal precedent is not on her side either. The Supreme Court ruled in Texas v. White in 1869 that the Union is “indestructible” and states cannot secede unilaterally.
Political Violence in the Last 20 Years
Greene’s post came before investigators have identified a motive in Kirk’s killing. The United States has lived through a string of political assassinations and attempts in the last two decades, and the pattern is familiar: condemnations first, blame games second.
Gabrielle Giffords — Tucson, 2011. On Jan. 8, 2011, Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords was shot in the head at a constituent event outside a Tucson supermarket. Six people were killed, including federal Judge John Roll and nine-year-old Christina-Taylor Green. Democrats said violent rhetoric poisoned politics and pointed to Sarah Pailin campaign materials that placed Giffords’ district in crosshairs. Republicans called the shooter mentally unstable and said it was unfair to connect partisan speech to the attack. Giffords survived, left Congress, and became an advocate for gun safety.
Steve Scalise — Alexandria, 2017. On June 14, 2017, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise was critically wounded when a gunman opened fire at a Republican baseball practice in Alexandria, Virginia. The attacker, James Hodgkinson, had volunteered for Bernie Sanders’ campaign and hated Republicans. Scalise nearly died, required multiple surgeries, and lives with lasting injuries. Democrats condemned the shooting. Republicans said anti-Trump rage on the left contributed to the climate.
Paul Pelosi — San Francisco, 2022. On Oct. 28, 2022, Paul Pelosi, husband of then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was attacked with a hammer in their San Francisco home. The attacker, David DePape, was looking for Nancy Pelosi and embraced far-right conspiracy theories. Democrats tied it to disinformation around the 2020 election. Republicans condemned the violence, though some spread false claims online and claimed Pelosi staged the attack.
Donald Trump — Butler, Pennsylvania, 2024. On July 13, 2024, former President Donald Trump was shot at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A bullet grazed his ear. One supporter was killed and two others injured. The gunman was killed by Secret Service agents. Both parties condemned the assassination attempt. President Biden called for calm. Republicans still pointed to what they called inflammatory rhetoric from Democrats. Federal officials treated it as attempted assassination and domestic terrorism. Some Democrats still claim the attempt was staged and Trump wasn’t really wounded.
Minnesota Lawmakers — June 2025. On June 14, 2025, former Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed in their home. That same morning, State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were shot in theirs and badly wounded. Police say the attacker, Vance Luther Boelter, had a list of about 70 targets that included lawmakers and abortion providers. He was arrested June 15 and now faces federal and state murder charges. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called it “an act of targeted political violence.” Sen. Amy Klobuchar said she was “heartbroken and horrified.” Both parties demanded more security for public officials. Donald Trump blamed the attack on Democrat Tim Walz, calling him an incompetent governor.
The Pattern and the Difference
Every time, leaders condemned the violence. Every time, blame followed, and often conspiracy theories followed. But Greene went further. She used Kirk’s killing not to argue for unity or restraint, or even to just point fingers, but to insist the United States should break into two countries.
Greene’s Words
Below is Greene’s entire post on X that you can read for yourself.
About The Georgia 14th: According to the U.S. Census, District 14 is 85.3% white and has a median household income of $42,700. The district has a high school graduation rate of 79.1% and a college graduation rate of 16.6%. The district includes Catoosa, Chattooga, Dade, Floyd, Gordon, Haralson, Murray, Paulding, Polk, Walker and Whitfield Counties as well as part of Pickens County and Cobb County.
How to Read and Understand the News
Truth doesn’t bend because we dislike it.
Facts don’t vanish when they make us uncomfortable.
Events happen whether we accept them or not.
Good reporting challenges us. The press isn’t choosing sides — it’s relaying what official, verified sources say. Blaming reporters for bad news is like blaming a thermometer for a fever.
Americans have a history of misunderstanding simple things. In the 1980s, A&W rolled out a 1/3-pound burger to compete with McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. It failed because too many people thought 1/3 was smaller than 1/4. If we can botch basic math, we can certainly misread the news.
Before dismissing a story, ask yourself:
- What evidence backs this?
- Am I reacting to facts or feelings?
- What would change my mind?
- Am I just shooting the messenger?
And one more: Am I assuming bias just because I don’t like the story?
Smart news consumers seek truth, not comfort.

B.T. Clark
B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.