A report by Newsweek on Friday, January 19, 2024, Speaker Mike Johnson finds himself confronting a rising rebellion within his own party following a pact with Democrats to avert a government shutdown, as noted by Mary Trump, the niece of former President Donald Trump.
The Louisiana Republican, assuming the speakership in October 2023 following Kevin McCarthy’s removal over a comparable deal, witnessed more than half of his caucus dissent against the continuing resolution (CR) ensuring government funding until March.
The CR secured passage in the House by 314-108 on Thursday, with 107 Republicans supporting it and 106 opposing it.
Mary Trump, a vocal critic of her uncle and his allies, asserts that Johnson’s leadership is now in jeopardy as some fellow Republicans contemplate his removal. She references former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon, who asserted on his podcast that Johnson was “finished” as speaker.
“Mike Johnson’s job is on the chopping block,” Mary Trump wrote in her Substack newsletter on Friday. “A few prominent Republicans are already plotting vengeance, and the rule that allowed Kevin McCarthy to be deposed is still in place.”
This rule, established in January 2023 when McCarthy assumed the speakership after 15 rounds of voting, permits any House member to propose a motion to vacate the speakership, necessitating a simple majority for approval. McCarthy faced such a motion in October 2023, led by Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, resulting in his historic removal.
Johnson may encounter a parallel fate if he fails to satisfy hard-liners in his party dissatisfied with the spending levels in the deal negotiated with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. The agreement encompasses $1.66 trillion in appropriations for fiscal year 2024, with $704 billion for non-defense and $886 billion for defense spending.
Despite Johnson’s claim that the deal trims non-defense spending by $30 billion from the Senate’s proposal and prevents tax increases, numerous Republicans express concerns that it remains too generous to Democrats and neglects the border crisis.
The House Freedom Caucus, comprised of conservative lawmakers, urged Johnson to incorporate border security policies into the CR, but he declined. Caucus chair Rep. Bob Good of Virginia criticized the CR as a “loser for our country” perpetuating “Biden-Schumer-Pelosi policies.”
Johnson dismisses coup threats, asserting majority support within his caucus, and emphasizes his commitment to delivering results amid a divided Congress and President Joe Biden’s veto power.
“I’m not going to play games with the security of our country or the livelihoods of our federal workers,” Johnson stated on Thursday. “We have a responsibility to govern, and that’s what we’re doing.”
