RNC Chair Pleads With Marjorie Taylor Greene To Prioritize 'Party Unity' Amid Motion To Vacate Announcement

On Wednesday, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) revealed that she would be introducing the motion to vacate against Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) next week after the speaker worked with Democrats to get a $95 billion foreign aid package passed through the lower chamber without the majority of Republicans supporting the bill. Greene's decision, however, has faced considerable backlash, and Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley has personally met with the Georgia lawmaker to urge a reversal.

Whatley met with Greene on Tuesday following a meeting with the Republican caucus that focused on party unity ahead of the 2024 general election that could see the control of the House flip if Democrats are able to secure a majority. The new Trump-supported RNC chair attempted to argue that a motion to vacate Speaker Johnson would be a pointless disruption. "He said, one, this is not helpful, and two, we want to expand and grow the majority in the House," a person familiar with the meeting said, per POLITICO. "He was clear that any disruption to the conference on these efforts — including filing this [motion to vacate], does not help the case for party unity."

One person close to Rep. Greene dispelled the RNC chair's concerns, explaining,  “The only person destroying Republican unity is Mike Johnson. Republicans need a speaker who will deliver President Trump’s America First agenda when he’s back in the White House. Democrat-endorsed Mike Johnson isn’t it.”

Despite Whatley's pleas, Greene said during a press conference on Capitol Hill on Wednesday morning that Speaker Johnson had "become a man that none of us recognize." Greene was joined by Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY), who also signed on in support of the motion to vacate.

"And so next week, I am going to be calling this motion to vacate," Greene said. "Absolutely. I'm calling it. I can't wait to see Democrats go out and support a Republican Speaker and have to go home to their primaries and have to run for Congress again, having supported a Republican Speaker, a Christian conservative. I think that'll play well."

In response to Greene's announcement, Speaker Mike Johnson remained defiant, telling reporters, "This motion is wrong for the Republican Conference, wrong for the institution, and wrong for the country." While Greene may go through with the motion, House Democrats have agreed to save Speaker Johnson's job, given his help with passing the foreign aid package. "At this moment, upon completion of our national security work, the time has come to turn the page on this chapter of Pro-Putin Republican obstruction," the House Democrat leadership said in a statement. "We will vote to table Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's Motion to Vacate the Chair. If she invokes the motion, it will not succeed."

In response to the Democrats' position, Greene posited that Johnson was working behind closed doors with the Democrats to maintain his position, which he has held for just over six months. "What slimy back room deal did Johnson make for the Democrats' support?" the Georgia lawmaker asked. "He should resign, switch parties, and continue voting for Biden's open border invasion of America, endless wars, full term abortion on demand, trans agenda on children, warrantless spying on the American people, weaponizing government against President Trump and his supporters, and every other Democrat wishlist item he's handed over."

"If the Democrats want to elect him Speaker (and some Republicans want to support the Democrats' chosen Speaker), I'll give them the chance to do it. I'm a big believer in recorded votes because putting Congress on record allows every American to see the truth and provides transparency to our votes," she wrote. "Americans deserve to see the Uniparty on full display. I'm about to give them their coming out party!"

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