Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is leading an effort to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson, highlighting deep divisions within the Republican Party and gaining unlikely support from Democrats.
Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia is spearheading an effort to remove Speaker Mike Johnson from his position in the House. Greene, backed by Representatives Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona, criticises Johnson for his cooperative legislative actions with Democrats, particularly on foreign aid issues concerning Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.
The motion to vacate, which must be voted on within 48 hours of its initiation, represents a significant partisan confrontation within the Republican party. Despite Greene’s claims, the majority of Republican members seem disinclined to support the removal of Johnson as Speaker. Moreover, Democratic leadership has pledged to support Johnson, making Greene’s success unlikely.
This potential vote places Johnson as only the second House speaker in U.S. history at risk of formal removal in such a short time frame. His predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, was ousted last year, an event Johnson has pointed to as creating chaos within Congress.
Key Republicans, including Senator Thom Tillis, have openly criticised Greene’s actions. Tillis described Greene as uninformed and detrimental to the party’s image and future.
While Greene’s move indicates internal divisions within the Republican Party, Democrats, focusing on maintaining legislative stability, appear unified in supporting Johnson. The situation underscores the ongoing struggles between party loyalty and ideological alignment in U.S. politics.
