House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) considers himself to be a “wartime speaker” and compared infighting among House Republicans to the Civil War.
“Look, we are in unprecedented times. Okay. We’re in dangerous times. This has been articulated here around the world and here at home. We need steady leadership. We need steady hands at the wheel. Look, I regard myself as a wartime speaker,” Johnson told reporters Tuesday, according to a clip shared by Mediaite.
He continued: “I mean, in a literal sense, we are. I knew that when I took the gavel. I didn’t anticipate that this would be an easy path. Former Speaker Newt Gingrich posted a couple days ago on his social media that, this is the hardest challenge that’s faced a speaker, probably in the history of the country and the moment we’re in right now. He said, arguably, may be comparable to the Civil War, but maybe worse.”
Johnson is facing a revolt from hardline members of his conference over his decision to take up separate bills this week to provide additional aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
Earlier on Tuesday, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) announced he will be joining Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) motion to vacate resolution to remove Johnson as Speaker citing his reauthorization of FISA and his decision to put a Ukraine aid bill on the floor.
“I just told Mike Johnson in conference that I’m cosponsoring the Motion to Vacate that was introduced by@RepMTG,” Massie wrote in a post on X/Twitter. “He should pre-announce his resignation (as Boehner did), so we can pick a new Speaker without ever being without a GOP Speaker.”
Johnson is refusing to resign and has called Massie urging him to do so “absurd.”
