Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R., Ga.) has intensified her efforts to remove House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) from his position, demanding that he either resign or face a vote for his ouster following the passage of a $95 billion foreign aid package that includes $61 billion for Ukraine and regional partners. Greene, along with at least two other Republican lawmakers, has expressed strong opposition to Johnson's decision to advance the legislation, which passed the House on Saturday with the support of 210 Democrats and 101 Republicans.
In an appearance on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures," Greene declared, "Mike Johnson's speakership is over. He needs to do the right thing to resign and allow us to move forward in a controlled process. If he doesn't do so, he will be vacated." The Georgia hardliner's threat to force a vote on Johnson's removal from the speakership comes as the Speaker's majority is so slim that he cannot afford to lose any Republicans on a party-line vote.
Despite the growing pressure from his right flank, Johnson has remained steadfast in his decision to move forward with the foreign aid package, which closely resembles a Senate-passed version. In a statement following the bill's passage, Johnson said, "I don't walk around this building being worried about a motion to vacate. I have to do my job. ... I've done here what I believe to be the right thing to allow the House to work its will. And as I've said, you do the right thing, and you let the chips fall where they may."
Greene: Mike Johnson’s speakership is over. He needs to do the right thing to resign… If he doesn’t do so he will be vacated… the motion to vacate is coming regardless of what Mike Johnson decides to do pic.twitter.com/9dVe2AAotp — Acyn (@Acyn) April 21, 2024
Should Greene and her supporters follow through on their threat to force a vote on Johnson's removal, the Speaker will likely need to rely on support from Democrats to maintain his position. While Johnson maintains that he has not asked any Democrats for their help, senior Republicans believe they will be able to count on support across the aisle to swiftly kill any motion to vacate the speaker's chair.
Some Democrats have already expressed a willingness to save Johnson, particularly after his decision to defy his right flank and advance the foreign aid package. Rep. Ro Khanna (D., Calif.) said on ABC's "This Week" that he would vote against a motion to remove Johnson from the speakership, adding, "I'm a progressive Democrat and I think you would have a few progressive Democrats doing that. I disagree with Speaker Johnson on many issues and I've been very critical of him, but he did the right thing here and he deserves to keep his job till the end of this term."
When questioned about her decision to hold off on the motion to vacate on Saturday, Greene claimed that she has "been responsible with this the entire time" but suggested that the move will happen regardless of Johnson's actions. "All of this was possible because of the betrayals of Mike Johnson," Greene said, accusing the Speaker of betraying Republican voters.
The foreign aid package, which includes funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, has exposed deep divisions within the Republican Party. While some members, like Greene, have strongly opposed the legislation, arguing that it prioritizes foreign aid over domestic issues, others have supported the bill as a means to provide crucial assistance to key U.S. allies.
As the legislation heads to the Senate for final approval, the ongoing power struggle within the House Republican leadership threatens to further destabilize the party and undermine its ability to govern effectively. The outcome of this internal conflict will likely have significant implications for the future of Speaker Johnson's leadership and the direction of the Republican Party as a whole.
