In her new book, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has defended herself against allegations of antisemitism. She claimed that her controversial comments about Jewish space lasers were “sarcastic.” Greene, a Christian nationalist congresswoman, argued that her “Savior,” Jesus, was a Jewish carpenter, therefore refuting any claims of antisemitism.
According to The Forward, which obtained an advanced copy of Greene’s upcoming memoir “MTG,” she dedicates a chapter to addressing the accusations of antisemitism. This move comes after Greene made a widely ridiculed claim in 2018 that Jewish-financed space lasers were responsible for the devastating wildfires in California. In a now-deleted Facebook post, she highlighted supposed coincidences and laser beam sightings, even speculating the involvement of a vice chairman at “Rothschild Inc,” an international investment banking firm.
Regarding her space laser comments, Greene clarifies in her book that it was something she had said sarcastically on social media years before she was elected. The Rothschild family, known for their wealth, has often been targeted by far-right conspiracy theories falsely asserting their control over the world’s wealth. Greene claimed in 2021 that she was unaware of the Rothschild family’s Jewish heritage.
To further defend herself against allegations of antisemitism, Greene emphasizes her faith and support for Israel. She writes, “There is not an antisemitic bone in my body. My Savior is a Jewish carpenter who died on the cross for my sins, and I have no antisemitic sentiments whatsoever.” Greene also reveals that she has made donations to the Temple Institute in Israel, an organization aiming to rebuild the Jewish temple on the Temple Mount and reinstate animal sacrificial worship.
Greene has faced previous controversies for promoting baseless conspiracy theories, including being associated with QAnon, which has antisemitic elements. However, she later distanced herself from the movement, stating that she had been easily influenced by things she had seen on the internet.
It remains to be seen how Greene’s book and her defense will be received by the public and her colleagues. As she addresses the allegations of antisemitism, critics will likely scrutinize her explanations and past statements.
