US House Speaker Mike Johnson at risk of coup over government funding deal

For the second time in six months, a congressional Republican has moved to oust their party’s leader for striking a bipartisan deal to avoid a US government shutdown.

One of former US president Donald Trump’s closest allies has launched a rogue effort to kill off the Republican Party’s congressional leader, not even six months after the former House Speaker was ousted in an unprecedented coup.

Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene kickstarted the process to remove Mike Johnson from the speakership on Friday (local time) as he secured the passage of a $US1.2 trillion ($A1.84 trillion) spending bill to avert a government shutdown with just hours to spare.

Trump ally Marjorie Taylor Greene has kickstarted the process to remove the Republican Party’s congressional leader Mike Johnson from the speakership. Picture: AFP

Former speaker Kevin McCarthy lost his job in October – the first time in history the top congressional leader had been rolled by his colleagues – over a similar last-ditch deal to keep the US government operating and avoid nationwide chaos.

Ms Greene voiced “extreme opposition” to Mr Johnson’s spending deal with the Democrats, saying it was “not a Republican bill” and that no member of her party could vote for it “in good conscience”.

US House Speaker Mike Johnson is under fire from far-right Republicans. Picture: AFP

In the end, the 1012-page bill passed with 286 votes to 134 votes. Fewer than half of the members of the Republican majority in the House of Representatives voted for it, a sign of the party’s deep divisions.

Ms Taylor Greene – who supported Mr Johnson’s rise to the leadership – moved to take advantage of a rule originally negotiated by Mr McCarthy to secure the top job in January last year, which gave any member the power to lodge a motion to vacate the speakership.

He was then rolled in October when eight Republicans teamed up with the Democrats to vote him out, sparking weeks of drama as multiple candidates ran for the key leadership job which eventually fell to Mr Johnson.

Former US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy lost his job last October over a similar last-ditch deal to keep the US government operating. Picture: AFP

It is unclear whether the Democrats will now help to save the Speaker or if they will back Ms Taylor Greene’s motion. She is yet to pursue it on the floor of the House, which is expected to be in recess for the next two weeks.

Several members have left the House in recent months, meaning Mr Johnson could only afford to lose two votes from his party’s razor-thin majority if he wants to hang on to the job.

Tennessee’s Tim Burchett and South Carolina’s Nancy Mace – two of the eight members who voted to dump Mr McCarthy – both said they would not support firing Mr Johnson.

But South Carolina’s Ralph Norman told Politico: “We’ll see.”

Prior to Ms Taylor Greene filing her motion, Mr Johnson shook his head when asked if he was concerned by her plot to remove him.

Top Democrat Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, reportedly said of her: “She’s a joke.”

Originally published as US House Speaker Mike Johnson at risk of coup over government funding deal