Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene made a bold move on Wednesday by calling for a vote to remove Republican Mike Johnson as speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.
This decision threatens to plunge the party into chaos just months before the November election.
Greene’s call for the vote is a rare display of defiance against Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who publicly endorsed Johnson as speaker and dismissed the ouster threat as “unfortunate.” Greene cited Johnson’s perceived inadequacy for the role as the basis for her motion.
Johnson labeled Greene’s threat as misguided, asserting that such a motion would be detrimental to the Republican conference, the institution, and the country as a whole.
If successful, the House would face the task of selecting a new speaker for the second time since October when Kevin McCarthy, Johnson’s predecessor, was ousted—a highly unusual occurrence in U.S. politics.
However, before this situation escalates, the House is likely to vote to dismiss Greene’s efforts. Most House Republicans oppose her motion, raising concerns about the party’s capacity to govern effectively amidst a tight election race and the struggle to retain their majority.
House Democratic leaders have also pledged to thwart Greene’s move by voting to table her effort, expressing confidence that it will not succeed.
The level of Democratic support for a challenge against a speaker from the opposition party remains uncertain.
Greene’s motion, filed in March, stemmed from Johnson’s handling of spending legislation that averted two partial government shutdowns.
While Greene has gained support from some Republicans like Representative Thomas Massie and Representative Paul Gosar, her move has surprised many given Trump’s opposition and her prior assurances to avoid prolonged political turmoil.
