The House of Representatives is facing potential turmoil once again due to Republican infighting, with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene threatening to trigger a no-confidence vote against House Speaker Mike Johnson. Greene and other hard-liners are unhappy with Johnson for allowing a funding bill to pass with Democratic support, believing that Republicans could have forced them to accept GOP policy priorities. However, the likely outcome of this would be a government shutdown that voters would blame on Republicans. Greene previously filed a resolution to oust Johnson but did not force a vote, describing it as a warning. Her recent letter amplified the warning but did not confirm if she would invoke the privilege to make the vote happen.
Greene suggested that Johnson’s fate could depend on whether he allows the House to vote on a $60 billion military aid package for Ukraine to defend itself against Russia. While this is a priority for many lawmakers, Greene and a faction of far-right Republicans oppose it. Despite Greene’s threats, Johnson has not indicated if a vote on the Ukraine aid will happen. In the past, when Rep. Matt Gaetz forced a referendum on Johnson’s predecessor, former Rep. Kevin McCarthy, eight Republicans voted with all Democrats to declare the speaker’s office vacant, leading to chaos and lack of leadership for three weeks before Johnson was finally chosen. Greene, who opposed ousting McCarthy, may bring about a similar bipartisan outcome with her threat to remove Johnson.
There is currently no clear alternative to Johnson, and it is uncertain how many Republicans are willing to risk chaos by supporting Greene’s resolution. Some Democrats may also vote against the resolution to save Johnson. Despite not forcing the vote yet, Greene has managed to make herself the center of attention in Congress. McCarthy referred to her as a serious legislator in a recent interview, acknowledging her influence in the ongoing leadership struggles within the Republican Party. The potential for another tumultuous period in the House of Representatives looms large as Greene’s threats against Johnson continue to escalate.
