Marjorie Taylor Greene Files Motion to Oust House Speaker Mike Johnson

The nightmare of 2023 is coming back to haunt House Republicans as history repeats itself only five months into Johnson's tenure

Louisiana Rep. Mike Johnson's fate as House speaker is under threat just five months after assuming the leadership role, thanks to a new motion to vacate filed by Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

Greene filed the motion on Friday, according to multiple outlets, as the House voted to pass a $1.2 trillion spending bill that she opposed in order to avert a government shutdown.

She did not file it as a privileged motion, though — which would require immediate action — meaning it will likely be revisited after the upcoming congressional recess, or possibly never. "It's more of a warning and a pink slip," she told reporters on the Capitol steps, Axios reports.

Related: Kevin McCarthy Ousted as House Speaker in Unprecedented Recall Vote

The filing immediately triggered a wave of backlash from House members on both sides of the aisle, who are less than enthused by the idea of going through drawn-out House speaker elections all over again.

CNN reports that Greene was immediately flanked by Republican colleagues after filing the motion, who urged her to stand down out of fear that ousting Johnson could lead to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries earning the speakership if even a couple of fed-up Republicans vote for the Democratic nominee to end the chaos.

Related: U.S. Congress Had Its Least Productive Year in Modern History amid House GOP Turmoil

Johnson emerged in October as the House GOP's unexpected unifier, after Republicans scrambled for three weeks to find a new leader following the historic ousting of Kevin McCarthy. The religious conservative was far from the party's first pick for a replacement — in fact, he was the fourth — but with budget deadlines looming, Republicans rallied behind him in order to end the congressional gridlock.

Related: 18 Photos That Defined a Chaotic and Unprecedented Year in Politics

House GOP infighting was the overarching theme of Congress in 2023, beginning with a deadlocked speaker election on the first day of the term that set the stage for months of threats from far-right Republicans who were unhappy with the speaker's budgeting strategies.

The threats ultimately managed to secure a new, more extreme House speaker — but not without causing significant damage to the caucus. If Johnson were to be ousted, House Republicans would further threaten their narrow majority by putting a spotlight on their recent dysfunction just before voters head to the polls.

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