A U.S. Congresswoman from the conservative wing of the Republican Party announced her intention to introduce a proposal next week to impeach Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson due to his support for a bill providing new aid to Ukraine. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the Republican Congresswoman from Georgia and a supporter of former President Donald Trump, accused Johnson of "betrayal." Greene told reporters: "Mike Johnson has fully joined the disgusting business model in Washington of funding endless wars," adding, "Therefore, I will propose next week to impeach him."
Johnson considered the Congresswoman's announcement a "wrong step for the Republican conference, the institution, and the country." According to U.S. House rules, a single member can request a vote to remove their leader. However, the Congresswoman's attempt to oust Johnson is unlikely to succeed since Democrats have shown readiness to vote exceptionally to keep him in position. Greene added, "I eagerly await to see Democrats step up to support a Republican Speaker."
U.S. support for Kyiv has become a focal point of debate in Congress, with hardline Republican lawmakers seeking to cut support for Ukraine, which is facing Russian forces. After months of discussions, amidst pressure from Democrats and U.S. allied countries, Johnson supported a new aid package for Ukraine last week, which angered hard-right members of his party.
Former Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted a few months ago in a similar scenario after being accused of striking a deal with Democrats to avert a partial federal government shutdown.
