Benzinga - by Bibhu Pattnaik, Benzinga Staff Writer.
Former President Donald Trump has stepped in to ease the growing discord between House Speaker Mike Johnson and Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene.
Greene has been vocal about her intentions to remove Johnson from his position following the passage of a $1.2 trillion government funding bill, which she believes fails to advance key Republican objectives such as immigration reform.
During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Friday, Trump expressed his support for Johnson, stating, "I stand with the speaker," while highlighting the complexities of Johnson's role.
Trump's comments aimed to mitigate the tension, suggesting that Greene, whom he described as a "very good friend," respects the speaker's challenging position.
When asked about Greene's motion to vacate, Trump remarked that he had a good rapport with both representatives and asserted that Greene empathized with the challenges Johnson has encountered since assuming the role of speaker, reported Business Insider.
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"I think he's doing a very good job," Trump said. "I'm sure that Marjorie understands that. She's a very good friend of mine, and I know that she has a lot of respect for the Speaker."
However, Greene's critique of Johnson intensified during Steve Bannon's "War Room" show that same day, especially when the two talked about the recent passage of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which she argued grants excessive surveillance powers to the government.
"They know I mean exactly every single word I say, and I'm not full of shit just like Mike Johnson is, and I'm actually going to follow through with action instead of lie to people on television, and in press conferences, and out on the campaign trail," Greene said.
Greene's motion to vacate Johnson's speakership echoes the GOP's internal strife that saw Rep. Kevin McCarthy ousted from the role.
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