House blocks Greene's attempt to remove Johnson from speakership

The US House of Representatives on Wednesday (May 8) promptly defeated an effort by Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene to remove fellow Republican Speaker Mike Johnson from his leadership role.

Democrats and Republicans voted 359-43 to safeguard Johnson's role as Speaker, aiming to prevent a repeat of the turmoil that erupted in October when Republicans removed former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Eleven Republicans voted against tabling.

Johnson was elected speaker after conservatives voted to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year. A historic and unprecedented vote sparked a turbulent period of internal strife as Republicans struggled to unite around a new leader before eventually coalescing around the Louisiana Republican.

Earlier, Republican Thomas Massie Greene criticised Johnson for a string of compromises with Democrats who hold a majority in the Senate.

But the chamber erupted in taunts as Greene read her resolution, with Democrats at times chanting "Hakeem, Hakeem," a reference to their party leader Hakeem Jeffries, highlighting the many times they voted for him as speaker during Republicans' multiple rounds of voting for speaker since the current House was seated in January 2021.

Following the vote, Johnson spoke briefly with reporters calling Greene’s campaign against him misguided and he also expressed gratitude towards his colleagues for showing confidence in his leadership.

“I want to say that I appreciate the show of confidence for my colleagues to defeat this misguided effort,” he said. “I’ve made clear here every day, I intend to do my job, I intend to do what I believe to be the right thing, which I was elected to do. And I’ll let the chips fall where they may.”

On the other hand, when Greene was asked whether she would trigger a vote again, Greene did not answer directly and saidshe was thankful for Trump’s support and mentioned that he indicated on Truth Social that Republicans might need to consider a motion to vacate at some point.

When asked whether she believes Trump was wrong to urge members to vote to table, she said, “I stand with President Trump. I support President Trump. I’ve talked to him every day about this.”

(With inputs from agencies)