(WatchDogReport.org)—Former President Donald Trump has praised House Speaker and Louisiana Representative Mike Johnson, who faces opposition from several Republicans following the vote on aid for Ukraine. Trump stated that Johnson works hard and is a “very good person.”
Trump made the comments during an interview with Real America’s Voice host John Fredericks. The 2024 presidential candidate noted that Johnson is not able to just “go and do whatever he wants” because Republicans have a majority of just one seat in the House. He stressed the need to focus on increasing the Republican majority in the House.
Johnson has faced mounting pressure from less pragmatic members of the party regarding the voting through of $61 billion in military aid for Ukraine, which is included under a $95 billion military aid package pledged to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. Georgia Republican Representative and Trump loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene threatened earlier in 2024 to oust the speaker when she sent a lengthy letter to colleagues slating his leadership. On April 19, Greene formally filed a motion to remove the Speaker because he backed a $1.2 trillion spending bill and led the $95 billion foreign aid package that has been voted through to the Senate.
Though criticism of Johnson and the foreign aid deal is widespread among Republicans, Greene does not appear to have the significant backing from the party needed to oust the Speaker. Three lawmakers publicly support Greene’s resolution, though Florida Representative Matt Gaetz warned that a vote to oust Johnson could hand the House over to the Democrats and that he would not support it for this reason. Republican Nebraska Representative Don Bacon praised Johnson for doing the right thing, dismissing Greene’s movement to oust him as consisting of only three or four people who cannot be allowed to dictate to other Republicans.
Several Democrats have also made publicly clear that they would save the Speaker. House Minority Leader and New York Representative Hakeem Jeffries said in February that several Democrats would rescue Johnson and reiterated this after Greene filed the motion. Trump has reportedly spoken to multiple members of Congress, warning that Greene’s plan is a “disaster” that risks sabotaging his chances in the presidential election.
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