House Speaker Mike Johnson is making a trip to former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort for a joint appearance in an effort to shore up conservative support and fend off a threat to his speakership led by GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia. Greene has threatened to force a vote to oust Johnson over government spending and aid to Ukraine, but no other House Republicans have supported her effort. Johnson was narrowly elected after multiple failed attempts by other candidates, and Republicans have a very slim majority in the House. A single member can force a vote to oust a speaker, a rule agreed to by former speaker Kevin McCarthy to secure his speakership.
Johnson and Trump are scheduled to speak on “election integrity” at Mar-a-Lago, with Trump continuing to claim without evidence that he lost the 2020 election due to voter fraud. The Biden campaign released a statement from Rep. Bennie Thompson, chair of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, denouncing Trump as a threat to democracy and the Constitution. Thompson accused Trump and Johnson of prioritizing revenge and power over election integrity.
Greene has not specified when she might force a vote on Johnson’s removal, and her opposition to him centers on the issue of aid to Ukraine, which Johnson supports but Greene strongly opposes. Johnson, speaking to the Christian Broadcasting Network, expressed a desire to avoid a stalemate in Congress and emphasized the need to keep the train on track for the Republican Party and Trump’s election prospects in 2024. He warned that closing Congress down by removing a speaker would be counterproductive and hurt the party’s chances of growth and Trump’s re-election.
Johnson’s visit to Mar-a-Lago mirrors McCarthy’s trip to the resort shortly after the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol by Trump supporters. McCarthy initially blamed Trump for the riot but later sought his support to become speaker. The dynamics in play highlight the delicate balance of power and influence within the GOP, with alliances being tested and potential consequences for the party and Trump’s political future. The ongoing tensions within the Republican Party could impact its ability to unify and effectively govern as it seeks to maintain its majority and electoral prospects.
