Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Monday doubled down on her criticism of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), arguing former President Trump’s “MAGA” base is opposed to Johnson after he “betrayed” Republicans.
Greene, speaking with former White House aide Steve Bannon on his podcast “War Room,” claimed she has not seen the MAGA base — supporters of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement — this angry since the 2020 election, when former President Trump lost his reelection bid to President Biden.
“But this time … this is different,” she said. “They’re angry on a whole other level. And here’s what really worries me. They’re done with Republican leadership like Mike Johnson, who totally sold us out to the Democrats.”
Greene has been threatening to use a procedural motion to force Johnson’s ouster as Speaker.
She’s been angered by the passage of legislation that moved through the House with Democratic votes. On Saturday, the House approved a foreign aid bill that included support for Ukraine, even though more Republicans voted against that part of the bill than for it.
“[Johnson] joined the uniparty faster than anyone we’ve ever seen in history and literally made a night-and-day change in a matter of months,” Greene said of Johnson.
“[Johnson] betrayed everyone, betrayed the entire Republican party, betrayed Republican voters, betrayed the Republican conference,” she said. “And voters are so angry this time.”
Johnson has brushed off any concerns about the motion to vacate, saying he backed the Ukraine aid because he thought it was the right thing to do.
Ukraine, more than two years into its war with Russia, has been suffering from shortages in arms as Russia has made gains on the battlefield.
Greene said Johnson’s actions could cost Republicans in the fall, while Bannon, a staunch ally of Trump, said he believes candidates have “taken for granted” that in order to win in November, they need 100 or 110 percent of MAGA support. Johnson acknowledged last week the foreign aid legislation is “not perfect,” while appearing to lower expectations for the GOP given its razor-thin majority in the lower chamber.
