MTG feuds with Trump; White House apologizes for Hyundai raid

Summary

Georgia Today Podcast Summary

Episode: MTG feuds with Trump; White House apologizes for Hyundai raid
Date: November 20, 2025
Host: Peter Biello (Georgia Public Broadcasting)

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers top news stories from Georgia, focusing on the ongoing feud between Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG) and former President Donald Trump, fallout from a federal immigration raid at a Hyundai battery plant, local government updates, economic developments, and community stories. The episode is driven by direct reporting, constituent voices, and on-the-ground reactions, keeping the tone factual yet community-centered.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s Feud with Donald Trump

Segment Start: 00:29

• Background: MTG, who represents northwest Georgia, is facing a public rift with former President Trump, who pulled his endorsement despite both receiving strong support in her district during 2024. She remains on the ballot for 2026.
• Constituent Reactions:
  • Many in her district remain loyal, citing her “America First” stance, particularly her stance against continued U.S. support for Israel.
  • Others are critical of her voting record, finding her politics insufficiently effective, though they appreciate signals of moving past “toxic politics.”
• Notable Quotes:
  • [00:20, 01:08] Jody May (constituent):
    “Marjorie Greene's hitting the nail on the head about not supporting Israel and all them support American people instead of different countries. That's where our money should stay.”
  • [01:28] Josh Williams (constituent):
    “The record of her as a politician in this district is pretty poor... Even if it's, you know, turning in a 1 millimeter turn in the right direction, it's still an F. No serious.”
• Political Outlook:
  • So far, no significant Republican challengers. Democrat Sean Harris intends to run.

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2. White House Apology to Hyundai / Immigration Raid Fallout

Segment Start: 01:58

• Incident: In September, a federal immigration raid affected a Hyundai battery plant near Savannah, raising concerns about workforce fears and damage to company morale.
• Hyundai’s Response:
  • CEO Jose Munoz reported receiving a personal apology from the White House.
    [02:12] Munoz: “I got [a] phone call from the White House apologizing for what happened. They were not aware. They didn't know.”
  • Hyundai continues to collaborate with authorities and maintains its major U.S. investments.

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3. Local Government & Economic Developments

• Columbus City Manager Search on Hold
  Segment: 02:19

  • Pause of 3–6 months to review salary competitiveness and reflect on candidate withdrawals.
  • Current duties split between Deputy Managers Pam Hodge and Lisa Goodwin.

• DeKalb Peachtree Airport Expansion
  Segment: 02:50

  • $45 million project for eight new aircraft hangars.
  • Projected revenue over $500 million, despite local resident concerns over pollution and noise.

• Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff on Food Tariffs & Thanksgiving Costs
  Segment: 03:30

  • Ossoff calls on the White House to reduce tariffs affecting food prices:
    • [03:46] Ossoff: “As folks go out to buy groceries and prepare those family meals for this annual tradition... they're going to be facing much higher costs while at the same time signing up for health insurance that's going to cost them so much more.”
  • The price of a traditional Thanksgiving meal has decreased by 5%.

• Virginia Transformer Corp Expansion
  Segment: 06:01

  • $40 million investment in Effingham County, creating 400 new jobs.

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4. Community & Legal News

• Braselton Police Chief Arrested Segment: 04:52

  • Chief Michael Steffman resigned and was arrested for allegedly using city license plate readers to stalk and harass individuals.
  • Faces charges for stalking, harassing communication, and misuse of systems.

• Georgia Tech K-9 Honored
  Segment: 05:12

  • Bomb-sniffing dog Pepper, a German Shepherd, was honored posthumously.
    • [05:24] Sgt. Manuel Blair (handler):
      “She was like my child in a sense, but also my best friend because I spent a lot of time with her and... spent more time with her than I did my actual family.”

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5. Sports Highlights

Segment: 06:56

• Atlanta Braves News:
  • Relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias signs a one-year, $16 million contract.
  • Braves trade Gold Glove finalist Nick Allen to the Houston Astros for Mauricio Dubon.

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Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• Jody May on MTG's foreign policy:
  [00:20, 01:08] “Marjorie Greene's hitting the nail on the head about not supporting Israel and all them support American people instead of different countries. That's where our money should stay.”
• Josh Williams on MTG’s record:
  [01:28] “The record of her as a politician in this district is pretty poor... Even if it's, you know, turning in a 1 millimeter turn in the right direction, it's still an F.”
• Hyundai CEO Jose Munoz:
  [02:12] “I got phone call from the White House apologizing for what happened. They were not aware. They didn't know.”
• Senator Jon Ossoff on tariffs:
  [03:46] “They're going to be facing much higher costs while at the same time signing up for health insurance that's going to cost them so much more.”
• Sgt. Manuel Blair on Pepper:
  [05:24] “She was like my child in a sense, but also my best friend because I spent a lot of time with her and I spent more time with her than I did my actual family.”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• MTG/Trump Feud & Constituent Voices — 00:29–01:58
• White House Apology to Hyundai / Economic Development — 01:58–02:19
• Columbus City Manager Search — 02:19–02:50
• Airport Expansion Approval — 02:50–03:30
• Thanksgiving Costs & Political Reaction — 03:30–04:22
• Braselton Police Chief Arrested — 04:52–05:12
• Georgia Tech K-9 Tribute — 05:12–06:01
• Economic Expansion (Virginia Transformer) — 06:01–06:24
• Sports Wrap-up — 06:56–End

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This episode paints a detailed picture of Georgia’s evolving political climate, economic priorities, and local stories, with a focus on the respective impact on residents and key community voices.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Georgia Today podcast. Here we bring you the latest reports from the GPB newsroom. On today's episode, the search for the next city manager of Columbus has been put on hold. The White House has apologized for a raid at a Georgia battery plant. And as Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene feuds with the president, what do her constituents think?

[B]

Marjorie Greene's hitting the nail on the head about not supporting Israel. Now them support American people instead of different countries. That's where our money should stay.

[A]

Today is Thursday, November 20th. I'm Peter Biello, and this is Georgia Today. As the feud between President Donald Trump and Georgia U.S. representative Marjorie Taylor Greene continues, constituents in her northwest Georgia district are caught in the middle. GPB's Sarah Kalis has more.

[C]

Greene's district voted for both her and Trump overwhelmingly in 2024. She's on the ballot again in 2026, but Trump has pulled his endorsement of her despite some of her constituents say their support of Greene is not wavering. Jody May says he feels like she is embracing, quote, america first more than Trump these days.

[B]

Marjorie Greene's hitting the nail on the head about not supporting Israel and all them support American people instead of different countries. That's where our money should stay.

[C]

Other constituents like Josh Williams, say while he is not a fan of her voting record in Congress, he respects her declaration of moving past what she's called toxic politics.

[D]

The record of her as a politician in this district is pretty poor. And so on the whole, she's still got an F grade from me. Even if it's, you know, turning in a 1 millimeter turn in the right direction, it's still an F. No serious.

[C]

Republican challengers have emerged yet for Green, and just one, Democrat Sean Harris, says he plans to run against her. For GPB News, I'm Sarah Kallis in Rome.

[A]

The CEO of Hyundai Motor Group says the White House called him to apologize for the September immigration raid on a battery plant at the company's manufacturing site near Savannah. CEO Jose Munoz spoke at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore this week.

[E]

I got phone call from the White House apologizing for what happened. They were not aware. They didn't know.

[A]

Munoz says the company has had discussions with the federal and state government, as well as immigration officials to find solutions for their workers and many of whom fill specialized jobs, he said. Hyundai is doubling down on its commitment to its Investments in the U.S. columbus Mayor Skip Henderson says the search for the city's next manager is being put on hold for three to six months. The process began in March ahead of former City Manager Isaiah Hughley's planned retirement and continued even after council fired Hughley in May. Henderson told the City Council on Tuesday that the pause will allow time to review salaries across city government to ensure Columbus is competitive. In the meantime, Deputy City Managers Pam Hodge and Lisa Goodwin will continue sharing the role's duties. A search firm recommended the delay after several finalists were interviewed and one withdrew. DeKalb County Commissioners have approved a $45 million expansion plan at the DeKalb Peachtree Airport. New York based Sky Harbor Group Corporation plans to build eight aircraft hangars at the airport. The county estimates the contract could bring in more than $500 million in revenue. The plan was approved after years of opposition from a group of residents who say noise and air pollution will increase. Georgia US Senator Jon Ossoff is calling on the White House to reverse course on tariffs impacting food prices. The Democrats comments came today as Americans start to think about the Thanksgiving meal.

[F]

As folks go out to buy groceries and prepare those family meals for this annual tradition time to spend together, they're going to be facing much higher costs while at the same time signing up for health insurance that's going to cost them so much more.

[A]

The American Farm Bureau's annual report on the cost of a traditional Thanksgiving meal shows a feast for a family of 10 actually decreased by 5% since last year to an average of $55.18 nationwide. The decrease came mostly from a drop in turkey prices, while vegetables and sweet potatoes were the most expensive. A northeast Georgia police chief has been arrested on charges of using the city's license plate cameras to stalk and harass people. Michael Steffman has been the police chief in Braselton since April. He resigned Wednesday before his arrest became public. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has charged him with stalking, harassing communications and misuse of the license plate systems. He was taken to the Jackson County Jail and released on bail. Investigators say the Jackson County Sheriff's Office requested the inquiry months ago. The town manager expressed disappointment over the situation. The GBI didn't immediately respond to an email asking whether the agency knows if Stefan had a lawyer who could respond to the charges. The Georgia Tech Police Department honored a fallen officer yesterday, a 10 year old German shepherd named Pepper. GPB Sophie Gratis has more.

[G]

Pepper was a bomb sniffing security dog who worked for eight years with the Georgia Tech Police Department. Her owner and handler at work, sergeant Manuel Blair, and describes Pepper as diligent and focused.

[H]

And then she's totally different at home. She's calm, she's relaxed so she was like my child in a sense, but also my best friend because I spent a lot of time with her and I spent more time with her than I did my actual family.

[G]

As a member of the Georgia Tech K9 unit, Pepper was honored on campus Wednesday with a procession, a presentation of the US Flag and a traditional last call for fallen peace officers. Pepper leaves behind three other canine dogs at Georgia Tech. For GPB News, I'm Sophie Gradis.

[A]

A Virginia based electric infrastructure company plans to expand its manufacturing site in southeast Georgia's Effingham County, Virginia. Transformer Corporation said today that its $40 million investment will create 400 new jobs. The company makes large power transformers for industries including utilities and data centers, A.

[I]

Toxic fire, a plume of smoke and a community demanding ANSWERS. In Conyers, Georgia, the BioLab disaster left residents searching for truth and accountability. This season, GPB uncovers system failures, hears from whistleblowers, and follows neighbors still fighting to be heard. I'm Pamela Kirkland. Join me for season two of Manufacturing Danger, the Biolab Story. Listen now at gpb.org podcast or wherever you get your podcasts.

[A]

In sports, the Braves have signed Ricell Iglesias for another year. The relief Pitcher signed a one year $16 million contract next year will be his fifth season with the Braves. He converted the 250th save of his career on September 16th against Washington, becoming just the 40th pitcher in history and one of just five active relievers to reach the milestone. The Braves also traded Gold Glove finalist shortstop Nick Allen to the Houston Astros in exchange for infielder Mauricio Dubon. Allen had been stellar defensively but hit only.221 over 135 games last season. Dubon is not a much better hitter, but he has appeared defensively at seven different positions across his seven year major league career, including 107 games at shortstop and 214 at second base. That is a wrap on Georgia Today. Thank you so much for tuning in. We hope you'll come back tomorrow. So make sure you subscribe to this podcast and check out gpb.org news for any updates. If you've got feedback or perhaps a story suggestion, something we should be covering, let us know by email and you send it to Georgia [e-mail]. your message will go to the whole team. Again that email Georgia Today at gpb. Org I'm Peter Biello. Thank you again for listening. We will see you tomorrow.