To summarize, the House of Representatives voted decisively to table a motion brought by far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to remove Speaker Mike Johnson, with representatives from both sides rallying to keep the speaker in place. The vote was 359-43 in favor of tabling Greene’s resolution, with nearly 200 Republicans voting to save Johnson. Only 32 Democrats and 11 Republicans, including Greene and other far-right representatives, voted to advance the effort. This lack of support for Greene’s motion was evident as seven Democrats voted present, emphasizing the overall rejection of the motion.
Greene originally filed a motion to vacate Johnson in March after he brought a $1.2 trillion government funding package to the floor to avoid a partial government shutdown. However, that motion was not “privileged,” meaning there was no set timeline to vote on it before Greene triggered it Wednesday afternoon. The motion was abruptly shut down, leading to the final vote. Johnson expressed appreciation for the show of confidence from his colleagues and emphasized the need to move past personality politics and frivolous character assassination that has defined the 118th Congress.
Speaker Johnson was elected after Republicans rallied to oust ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who left Congress after being removed from his position for working across party lines. Greene, who initially supported Johnson’s election, has taken issue with him pushing bills through the House with Democratic support. On the floor before the vote, Greene criticized Johnson for choosing to ally himself with Democrats to preserve power instead of advancing Republican priorities. Despite Greene’s efforts, House Democrats had stated they would not vote to oust Johnson, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries affirming their stance against “MAGA extremism.”
Former President Donald Trump weighed in on the motion to vacate Johnson in a post on Truth Social, after the vote to table it had already taken place. Trump encouraged Republicans to vote to table the motion, expressing his love for Greene but warning against showing disunity that could lead to chaos. He also praised Johnson as a good man trying hard. Overall, the vote to table Greene’s motion to remove Speaker Johnson highlighted the lack of support for the effort and the importance of unity within the Republican party.