GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson in a letter to her Republican colleagues, escalating her rhetoric and pushing for potentially ousting Johnson. While Greene did not indicate when she plans to force a floor vote on Johnson’s removal, her scathing rebuke marks her first direct pitch to the House GOP conference, showing that she is not backing down from her threat. Johnson has tried to downplay the threat, stating that he respects Greene but that they have differences in strategy. However, there was no communication between the two last week.
In her letter, Greene outlined a case against Johnson, accusing him of failing to deliver on promises and breaking legislative rules. She blamed him for jeopardizing the House Republican majority and criticized him for not doing enough to prevent retiring GOP members from leaving Congress early. Greene also warned against Johnson’s expected push to provide more aid to Ukraine and reauthorization of a law allowing warrantless surveillance of foreign nationals. While the extent of support for Greene’s call to remove Johnson is unclear, the narrow House majority leaves no margin for error.
Several House Republicans, including Thomas Massie, Chip Roy, and Warren Davidson, have expressed frustration with Johnson, but none have officially called for his removal. There is division within the Republican Party, with some fearing that removing Johnson could lead to chaos, similar to when former Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted last year. Johnson has cautioned against triggering a vote to remove him, stating that it would not serve the party’s interest in expanding its majority.
Greene’s letter highlights her grievances with Johnson and argues that his leadership has hurt Republicans’ chances of holding onto the House majority in November. She believes that Republicans have not earned the majority and that President Trump’s presence on the ballot is the only reason they might win. While Greene’s motion to oust Johnson remains symbolic, there are concerns about another disruptive leadership change that could benefit Democrats. Greene rejected the argument that removing Johnson would give Democrats the majority, stating that it is a matter of simple math.
The escalating tensions between Greene and Johnson come as the House returns from recess, adding fuel to inter-party divisions that have intensified since Johnson’s appointment as Speaker last year. Greene is adamant in her criticism of Johnson, emphasizing that his leadership aligns with the Democrats’ agenda and risks alienating the Republican base. Despite efforts to dissuade Greene from moving forward with the process to oust Johnson, she remains steadfast in her stance. The uncertainty surrounding Johnson’s position as Speaker underscores the challenges facing House Republicans as they navigate internal divisions and seek to maintain their majority in upcoming elections.
