Former President Donald Trump has come out in support of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) amid a potential ouster threat by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), one of Trump’s closest allies in Congress.
What Happened: Trump expressed his support for Johnson during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Friday, standing alongside the Speaker, reported The Hill.
Trump praised Johnson’s performance, stating, “We’re getting along very well with the Speaker and I get along very well with Marjorie. We have a Speaker who was voted in and it was a complicated process… it’s not an easy situation for any Speaker. I think he's doing a very good job, he's doing about as good as you're going to do and I'm sure that Marjorie understands that.”
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Greene has not yet revealed when she plans to force a vote on her resolution, leaving Johnson and the rest of the House in suspense as the chamber tackles several challenging legislative tasks.
Trump’s endorsement of Johnson could potentially hinder Greene’s ouster effort. Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.), a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, suggested that the former president’s support could help Johnson retain his position.
Amid this, Trump and Johnson have teamed up to push for a bill aimed at preventing non-citizens from voting.
Why It Matters: This development comes after Greene and Johnson failed to reach an agreement on Wednesday, putting Johnson’s position as Speaker at risk.
Former GOP congressman Ken Buck accused Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) of being ungovernable and suggested that the Kremlin influences her in her stance on Ukraine. He also highlighted Greene's opposition to new Ukraine aid, a key issue for the Republican House speaker, Mike Johnson, who is dealing with a small majority and a restless right.
Despite these challenges, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has defended Greene as a serious legislator, while Trump’s support for Johnson could potentially impact the outcome of the situation.
This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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