Far-right Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene has sparked outrage on social media following her comments on the death of Pope Francis, describing it as 'evil being defeated by the hand of God' and causing widespread condemnation.
Far-right Georgia Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has made a controversial statement in the hours following the death of Pope Francis, igniting criticism on social media. The Independent reports that Greene, who describes herself as a "Christian nationalist," posted on the social media platform X—formerly known as Twitter—approximately nine hours after the pontiff’s passing, declaring, "evil is being defeated by the hand of God."
Pope Francis, aged 88, died on Easter Monday at 7:35 a.m. local time from a cerebral stroke, as confirmed by the Vatican. His death has initiated a nine-day mourning period and the beginning of the intricate process of selecting the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
In her post, Greene also remarked, "Today there were major shifts in global leaderships," though she did not clarify further what she intended by this comment. Attempts by The Independent to obtain additional clarification from Greene were not immediately successful.
The statement provoked a swift and intense backlash from other X users, many of whom interpreted Greene’s words as a celebration of the pope’s death. One user responded with condemnation saying, "Shame on you, lady. This is disgusting," while another commented, "You're a disgrace to America and the world." South Carolina journalist Meghan McCarthy also weighed in with a sarcastic remark referencing Pete Hegseth, the embattled Defense Secretary, saying, "I thought you liked Pete Hegseth!"
Marjorie Taylor Greene’s relationship with the Catholic Church has been complex. She was baptized Catholic and married in a Catholic ceremony but was rebaptized into an evangelical Protestant denomination in 2011. In 2022, she publicly announced her departure from the Catholic Church, citing distrust in its leadership to protect children amid longstanding sexual abuse scandals. She acknowledged the sincerity of many lay Catholics and praised some priests as "kind" and "brilliant," but accused the Church’s leaders of being "controlled by Satan" and "riddled with criminals and abusers."
Pope Francis’ death marks a significant moment for the Catholic Church as it prepares for the selection of a new pope, an event monitored closely around the world. Greene’s remarks, coming at this poignant time, have added to the public discourse surrounding the pope’s legacy and the evolving political and religious landscape.
Source: Noah Wire Services
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative is centred on the recent event of Pope Francis' death and Marjorie Taylor Greene's response shortly thereafter, referencing specific and timely moments like 'Easter Monday' and immediate social media reactions. There is no indication that this is recycled news or a press release. The context suggests high freshness and relevance.
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The quotes attributed to Marjorie Taylor Greene appear verbatim from her social media posts on platform X (formerly Twitter), consistent with real-time reporting. While the earliest references online were not independently found during this check, the specificity and detail of the quotes imply they are genuine and likely sourced from original posts rather than repeated from earlier reports.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative originates from a well-known UK publication with a generally reputable track record for recent news coverage. The Independent is recognised for journalistic standards, though it is often considered centre-left and may carry some editorial bias. Overall, it is a credible outlet for political and social news.
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims about Greene's social media statement and the public reaction are plausible and fit known patterns of her public behaviour, given her prior religious statements and political profile. The death of Pope Francis and the mourning period are verified events. There is no conflicting evidence indicating falsehood; however, some claims about 'major shifts in global leaderships' remain vague and unverified but do not detract significantly from plausibility.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is very recent, centring on Pope Francis' death and Greene's immediate social media reaction, which appears authentic and consistent with known facts and behaviour. The publication is reputable, and no indications of recycled or outdated content are present. Although some comments lack full clarification, the core facts and quotes are credible and plausible, warranting a high confidence in accuracy.
