House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) met privately last week for a “productive” meeting, according to people and lawmakers familiar with the situation. told The Hill that recent signs of easing have added to tensions between the two.
The meeting, which officials said last Wednesday night and lasted more than 30 minutes, was described by Green as “productive.” She declined to reveal details of what they discussed.
This comes hours after House Republicans unanimously nominated Johnson to remain in the top job next year, a major feat for the Louisiana Republican, who faced some resistance within the conference. Ta. And it comes as Mr. Johnson inches closer to the speaker's vote in the House chamber on January 3, when he will need near-unanimous support from the chamber to win the gavel again.
Mr. Johnson's unanimous endorsement last week also included that of Mr. Greene, who had emerged as one of the House speaker's sharpest critics throughout her tenure in the top job, and who, in May, He led a motion to resign from the assembly, but it failed.
But as President-elect Trump prepares to take over the White House next year and Republicans prepare to take full control of Washington, Greene appears to have changed her tune this month.
That new stance was evident last week when Mr Green did not deny support for Mr Johnson to retain the gavel on the eve of Mr Johnson's unanimous nomination as speaker.
“Well, I don't understand why everyone is asking this question because I think he's the only one running for Congress,” she said. “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. So I think whoever is in charge here in the House, their job is to pass President Trump's agenda.”
Pressed by The Hill about these comments, Mr Green said he walked out the door again, aware that despite his past criticisms it did not sound like he had ruled out opposing Mr Johnson on the floor. I left it open.
“What I have been criticizing is funding, fully funding, [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.”
His support for Mr Johnson, and his description of a “productive meeting” last week, marks a sharp turn in a relationship that has been marked by intense tensions.
Ms. Greene's opposition to Mr. Johnson reached a climax in May when the Georgia Republican Party filed a motion for the speaker to resign, but the motion was defeated by members of both parties. Only 11 Republicans voted against the bill. Greene had criticized Johnson for helping push through a $61 billion aid package for Ukraine and for supporting the reauthorization of warrantless spying powers.
