Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia announced her plans to force a vote next week on removing House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana from his position, despite backlash from top Republicans and Democrats who are vowing to save Johnson. Greene, who had previously introduced a motion to vacate Johnson’s speakership in March, stated during a press conference that she would call for the vote next week, alongside Rep. Tom Massie of Kentucky who supports her efforts.
Greene referred to Johnson’s Republican and Democratic allies as the “Make Ukraine Great Again” uniparty, criticizing lawmakers who voted for additional funding for Ukraine. She accused Johnson of serving the Democrats and not the Republican conference, claiming he had changed since becoming speaker. Greene had initially introduced the motion as a warning for Johnson to stop supporting Democrats, but stated that she reached a breaking point after he pushed through bipartisan foreign aid legislation in Congress.
Despite pushback from Republican Party leadership, including former President Donald Trump and Republican National Committee co-chair Michael Whatley, Greene is moving forward with her efforts to oust Johnson. Trump, who supports Johnson, called removal efforts “unfortunate,” while Whatley emphasized the importance of party unity and focusing on defeating Democrats in November. Johnson, in response to Greene’s plans, called the removal effort wrong for the Republican Conference, the institution, and the country.
Johnson took over as House speaker after a previous GOP revolt against his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, with Greene voting for him based on his conservative voting record. However, Greene’s opinion of Johnson changed after he supported bipartisan bills such as the fiscal year 2024 budget, the continuance of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, and a $95 billion foreign aid package. Only a few Republicans, including Massie and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, have publicly supported Greene’s attempt to remove Johnson, while multiple Democrats have indicated they will vote against the effort.
As Greene moves forward with her plans to remove Johnson as House Speaker, the situation highlights the division within the Republican Party and the challenges they face in maintaining unity. While Greene is pushing for a vote next week, it remains to be seen whether she will garner enough support to succeed in her efforts, as Democrats are vowing to save Johnson from being ousted. The outcome of this power struggle within the GOP could have significant implications for the party’s cohesion and effectiveness in the upcoming midterm elections.
