Marjorie Taylor Greene's '60 Minutes' Interview Went Just Like You'd Expect

Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene's 60 Minutes interview proved to be as explosive as some anticipated with many of the conversation's highlights sparking debate on social media.

While speaking to journalist Leslie Stahl, Greene addressed her reputation as a divisive politician. During the interview, she appeared to live up to this reputation with more comments that could be deemed incendiary.

As part of the interview introduction, Stahl noted that Greene has quickly become a powerful representative by landing on important committees while remaining a controversial figure in politics.

Stahl asked if Greene stood by an alleged previous statement that the "Democrats are a party of pedophiles."

Greene replied: " I would definitely say so. They support grooming children. Democrats support, even Joe Biden the president himself, supports children being sexualized and having transgender surgeries. Sexualizing children is what pedophiles do to children."

Stahl also challenged Greene on the idea the United States must become a more Christian nation, have a Christian government, outlaw abortion, defund the FBI and have immigration stop for 4 years.

When Stahl raised the point that the U.S. Constitution prevents having a religion in the government, Greene replied: "Yet the founding fathers quoted the Bible constantly and were driven by their faith."

One of the most notable moments during the interview saw Greene deny that she had ever suggested that the 2018 Parkland school shooting, which saw 17 people murdered, was a false flag shooting.

When quizzed whether she held this view, Greene said: "Do you actually have my position? No I never said that. School shootings are horrible and I don't think it is anything to joke about."

60 Minutes then showed an image of Greene replying to a Facebook comment about the shooting. The comment said: "It's called a pay off to keep his mouth shut since it was a false flag planned shooting." Greene replied "Exactly."

Stahl responded to Greene and said: "We fact-checked before I got to this interview.

Greene replied: "Have you fact-checked all of my statements from kindergarten through to 12th grade and in college? And as I have paid my taxes and never broken a law, I got a few speeding tickets. Do we need to talk about those to?"

Both ahead of the release of the interview and following, some social media users were frustrated with 60 Minutes giving a platform to Greene.

Pop culture expert Mike Sington tweeted: "60 Minutes uses their prestigious platform to showcase Marjorie Taylor Greene. Then Lesley Stahl seems surprised when Greene calls President Biden and Democrats 'pedophiles.'"

Human rights activist and Parkland survivor Ryan Deitsch tweeted his disappointment: "I tried to watch Lesley Stahl & @60Minutes interview Marjorie Taylor Greene, they unapologetically platformed an antisemitic conspiracy theorist. Lost any respect I held for 60 Minutes, there's holding politicians accountable, & there's giving 'em a bullhorn, y'all did the latter."

Columnist Michael Hiltzik tweeted: "The only possible explanation for tonight's thing on Marjorie Taylor Greene: time to put 60 Minutes out of its (and our) misery. This was unspeakably disgraceful."

Some social media comments praised the interview, however, and said it was important to have these conversations, even if the individual is a controversial figure.

Journalist Robin Williams Adams defended the interview and insisted it was an important part of journalism.

She tweeted: "Journalism often requires interviews with people with whom you disagree. She is newsworthy because she has assumed a more powerful role with Republican control of the House, the struggle over McCarthy's bid for speaker and former president Trump's support.

Right-wing journalist Lara Logan, a former correspondent for 60 Minutes, also defended the interview and the conversation with divisive figures.

She tweeted: "Good on 60 Minutes/Lesley Stahl for having the courage to take this on. Amazing that people who say they're liberal no longer believe in free speech. The argument: 'normalizing extremism' is as old as tyranny/censorship. That's the point of the 1st amendment."

Gun control activist and Parkland survivor David Hogg even defended 60 Minutes and the interview despite his history of sparring with Greene even before she was elected to Congress. In March 2019, Greene was filmed following Hogg, then a teenager, as he walked toward the U.S. Capitol and taunted him with questions about gun rights. Greene, not yet a U.S. representative, ended the video by calling Hogg a "coward."

He tweeted: "This is a hot take but I'm glad 60 Minutes gave Marjorie Taylor Greene airtime. It's important to interview one of the main leaders of the Republican Party so the American people know everything and I mean everything they support. Including denying school shootings."

Newsweek reached out to Marjorie Taylor Greene via Facebook for comment.