Firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene isn't backing down from her latest Capitol Hill showdown, vowing to force a vote next week to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson. Despite warnings from Donald Trump and GOP leaders against another bruising internal feud, Greene declared her rebellion Wednesday outside the Capitol, according to WABE. Joined by Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., she held up a "MAGA" hat stating, "We need leaders in the House of Representatives that are going to get this done."
With her was Rep. Thomas Massie, one of the few to join her cause, ranting against Republican leaders and pushed back against them, including Trump's pleas to dodge another political skirmish so close to the elections. She declared, "Mike Johnson is not capable of that job," arguing that her colleagues need to face the vote and choose their loyalty. Greene’s aggressive stance poses a significant threat, as it will corner Republicans into choosing between deposing Johnson or siding with Democrats to maintain him, as reported by WABE.
The Democratic response, under New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, signals an unusual political ballet, with leaders expressing readiness to turn the page on GOP disorder and protect Johnson, viewed by some as a willing collaborator on critical government operations. Jeffries' team has stated they would vote against Greene’s motion, extending a lifeline to Johnson by tabling the move for his removal.
"Are you going to embrace Hakeem Jeffries?" Massie challenged, standing against the backdrop of the moment Jeffries handed over the gavel to Johnson last fall. Johnson's critics are scant but vocal, echoed by Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona alongside Greene, suggesting that Johnson follow the footsteps of former Speaker John Boehner, who resigned amidst a conservative uprising in 2015, as reported by WABE.
The struggle occurs during a time when the House is gripped by paralysis. According to reports, Johnson has been challenged to marshal his slim majority on party priorities, leaving him reliant on Democratic votes — both for major legislative actions and now, it seems, for his own leadership survival.
Johnson, chosen as a compromise candidate after Kevin McCarthy's unexpected fall, irked the far-right with his movement of a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine. Trump, however, has given Johnson a nod after their Mar-a-Lago meeting, indicating a tenuous alliance within the GOP’s fractured echelons.
