Marjorie Taylor Greene Claims GENIUS Act Contains CBDC Loophole, Criticizes House Speaker
Marjorie Taylor Greene has accused the GENIUS Act of containing a loophole that would enable a central bank digital currency (CBDC). She criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson for not including the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Greene voted against the GENIUS Act in July 2025, citing concerns over the alleged back door to a CBDC. The Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act, which passed the House in July 2025 but has not yet been approved by the Senate, would prohibit the Federal Reserve from creating a CBDC or a substantially similar product and raises significant privacy concerns.
The GENIUS Act regulates private stablecoins by explicitly stating they are not securities, not bank deposits, and not central bank money. A regulatory attorney stated that Greene's claim about the CBDC loophole lacks legal basis and is political commentary, emphasizing that stablecoins are kept separate from government money under the GENIUS Act.
Greene is among 12 Republicans who voted against the GENIUS Act and has compared CBDCs to the "Mark of the Beast" in previous remarks. Additionally, she disclosed a $60,000 investment in BlackRock’s IBIT Bitcoin ETF this year.
