Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) could vote to retain Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) despite previously moving to remove him from office. does not exclude gender.
Asked outside Parliament House on Tuesday if she would support Johnson in Wednesday's internal leadership race and the full House of Commons, Greene said: “Well, I think Johnson is the only one running for Speaker. That's why I don't understand why people are asking this question.''
Greene was harshly critical of Johnson, who spearheaded a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine and reauthorized warrantless foreign spying powers. In May, she led an effort to force a vote to remove Mr. Johnson from his position, but House Democrats helped Republicans defeat that effort by voting to resolve the issue.
But for Greene, an ardent supporter of President-elect Trump, her calculations appear to have changed now that the Republican Party now holds the House, Senate and White House majorities.
“The American people overwhelmingly voted for President Trump's policies, not for anyone else's policies, but for President Trump's policies, MAGA policies, America First policies. And that's a mandate from the American people. I think so,” Green said. “So I think whoever is in charge here in the House, their job is to pass President Trump's agenda.”
The Hill followed up on Greene's comments, noting that despite being critical of her, it didn't sound like she was ruling out a vote for Johnson in the House of Commons.
“What I have been criticizing is funding, fully funding and passing the Biden-Harris agenda in the House. [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer [D-N.Y.] We love it so much that we passed it in the Senate, reauthorized FISA, authorized warrantless spying on Americans, and gave $60 billion to Ukraine,” Greene said. “But I really don't think that will happen under President Trump. He will never allow that to happen, and neither will the American people.”
Like Greene, Johnson also has a good relationship with Trump. He emphasizes the importance of continued leadership as Republicans put economic and tax issues at the forefront and plan ambitious legislative initiatives under the Trump administration.
Other hardline conservatives in the House of Representatives plan to nominate a last-minute replacement for House Speaker Johnson in Wednesday's leadership election, but they have not yet decided who that candidate will be, the people said. told The Hill.
Mr. Johnson is expected to easily win the internal nomination, but the challenge means Mr. Johnson won the gavel in the full House of Representatives on January 3, which would require near unanimity among the small Republican majority. There is a possibility that it will be difficult to obtain.
But Green dismissed the possibility of a challenge.
“I haven't seen any serious effort, have I? You know one thing? I know I've never gotten a phone call,” Green said. “These questions are designed to polarize Republicans ahead of tomorrow's vote. And I have no interest in that…I unapologetically support President Trump. I will work hard as a member of Congress to pass his agenda.”
