Speaker Johnson’s Ukraine, Israel Plan Spurs New Ouster Threat

(Bloomberg) -- House Speaker Mike Johnson’s job is in new peril as a second Republican said he would join an effort to depose the Republican leader following his proposal to fund aid to Ukraine and Israel.

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Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie said he told colleagues in a closed-door meeting that he supports hardliner Marjorie Taylor Greene’s move to oust Johnson from the speakership.

Massie, a critic of both Israel and Ukraine aid, confirmed to reporters as he left the meeting that he made the overthrow threat and called on the speaker to resign.

“I am not resigning,” Johnson retorted, brushing aside the threat in comments to reporters. “I am not concerned about this. I am doing my job.”

Read More: Israel, Ukraine Aid to Receive US House Votes This Week

Johnson just received a vote on confidence Friday from the Republican party’s dominant figure, former President Donald Trump, who offered a public show of support in a joint appearance at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Trump criticized threats of ousting the speaker as “unfortunate.”

Greene, a Georgia Republican, said Monday night she hasn’t decided whether to proceed with an overthrow attempt.

It only takes a simple majority of House members present and voting to remove a speaker. Because of recent departures from the House — and a razor-thin majority — just three Republicans joining unified Democrats could oust Johnson.

Small Majority

“A small majority makes it very difficult to govern but there’s not anything you can do,” House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said of the ouster threat.

Moderate Republicans emerging from the party meeting Tuesday condemned Massie’s move while several hardliners in the Freedom Caucus said they wouldn’t join the ouster effort.

“I wouldn’t put the country through that,” said ultraconservative Ralph Norman.

The fractious Republican majority plunged into a bitter, weeks-long succession battle in October after a rump group deposed Johnson’s predecessor, Kevin McCarthy.

At least one Democrat, Jared Moskowitz, said Tuesday that he would vote to protect Johnson.

“Massie wants the world to burn,” Moskowitz said on X, the social media platform. “I won’t stand by and watch. I have a bucket of water.”

Johnson announced plans late Monday to hold separate votes this week on new aid to Israel and Ukraine, in an attempt to assemble fragile coalitions to speed weaponry to both besieged allies.

The move could end a months-long Republican blockade on help for Kyiv while also responding quickly to Iran’s missile and drone attack in Israel over the weekend.

Johnson and Scalise said they were weighing adding border security to the mix of foreign aid bills given the demands by members of the conference.

Democratic leaders wouldn’t say Tuesday whether they would rescue Johnson from an overthrow. They said they are fighting to make sure the Johnson plan has all the funding in the Senate-passed bill, including humanitarian aid.

(Updates with new detail starting in third paragraph)

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