Mike Johnson Insists He’s Not Resigning as Second Republican Moves to Oust Him

Marjorie Taylor Greene has gained an ally in her crusade to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson from his position as head of the Republican caucus. On Tuesday, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced that he has signed on to co-sponsor Greene’s motion to vacate against Johnson.

“I just told Mike Johnson in conference that I’m cosponsoring the Motion to Vacate that was introduced by [Greene]. He should pre-announce his resignation (as Boehner did), so we can pick a new Speaker without ever being without a GOP Speaker,” Massie wrote on X.

Greene quickly promoted Massie’s announcement. “Speaker Mike Johnson has thrown our GOP conference into chaos by serving the Democrats and passing Biden’s agenda,” Greene (R-Ga.) wrote on X. “Speaker Johnson is going to fund foreign wars while refusing to force [Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer] to hold a trial to impeach Mayorkas and demanding Joe Biden sign HR 2 into law.

“Speaker Johnson must announce a resignation date and allow Republicans to elect a new Speaker to put America First and pass a Republican agenda. Thank you to [Massie] for cosponsoring my Motion to Vacate. It’s time for a new Speaker,” she added.

Last month, Greene filed a motion to vacate against Johnson, arguing that the speaker — who has held the position since October — had “not lived up to a single one of his self-imposed tenets,” and was effectively acting as a surrogate for the Democratic minority. According to Axios, the motion may be brought to the floor within the next several days.

Republicans — humiliated by chaos and public displays of incompetence in the aftermath of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s ouster — are deeply skeptical of Greene’s move against Johnson. Massie’s support for her mission will likely do little to sway the rest of the party, which has been quite vocal about their displeasure.

According to Axios, members of the Republican conference booed the Kentucky representative when he presented his demands in a closed-door meeting.

“It’s a clusterfuck,” one member told Axios. “We are screwed,” said another.

Johnson himself continues to attempt to present an unbothered front. “It is, in my view, an absurd notion that someone would bring a vacate motion when we are simply here trying to do our jobs,” he said in a press conference on Tuesday.

“I am not resigning,” Johnson declared.

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