Rep. Mark Green reverses on retirement, will run for reelection

Rep. Mark Green (R-Tenn.) will run for reelection in November, he confirmed to The Hill on Thursday, reversing his announcement two weeks prior that he would retire at the end of his current term.

Green, the chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, revealed last week he was “seriously reconsidering” his decision to retire, setting off speculation that the Tennessee Republican would vie for another term in the lower chamber. On Thursday, former President Trump urged him to seek reelection in a post on Truth Social.

Shortly after, the Tennessee Republican made his reversal official, writing in a statement that he made his decision after fielding calls from various people — including Trump — encouraging him to run again.

“While my strong desire was to leave Congress at the end of this year, since my announcement, I have received countless calls from constituents, colleagues, and President Trump urging me to reconsider. I was reminded of the words of General McArthur on a statue at West Point: ‘Duty, honor, country.’ I realized once again: I had a duty to my country to fulfill,” Green said in a statement.

“I will be running for re-election so I can be here on Day 1 next year to help President Trump end this border crisis once and for all,” he added.

Green — who has represented Tennessee’s 7th Congressional District since 2019 — announced his retirement plans Feb. 14, one day after the House voted to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on its second try.

The congressman said after notching a win with the Mayorkas impeachment, the time had come for him to “return home.”

“At the start of the 118th Congress, I promised my constituents to pass legislation to secure our borders and to hold Secretary Mayorkas accountable. Today, with the House having passed H.R. 2 and Secretary Mayorkas impeached, it is time for me to return home,” he wrote in a statement.

But he also took a shot at the institution of Congress, calling it “broken beyond most means of repair.” The sentiment jibes with that of other lawmakers who are running for the exits this Congress, a session that has been described as one of the most unproductive in years.

“In the last few months, in reading the writings of our Framers, I was reminded of their intent for representatives to be citizen-legislators, to serve for a season and then return home. Our country–and our Congress–is broken beyond most means of repair. I have come to realize our fight is not here within Washington, our fight is with Washington,” Green said at the time.

Trump made a public plea for Green to run for reelection shortly before he made his announcement on Thursday, citing his “political talents” and the “fantastic work” he has done in Congress.

“Mark Green has had lots of options because of his political talents, and the great job he has done as a Congressman, but given the fantastic work he’s doing as Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, I hope he runs for Re-Election to the U.S. House of Representatives. If he does, he has my Complete and Total Endorsement!” Trump wrote.

Updated at 4:25 p.m.