House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia went back and forth during a private call with House Republicans on Tuesday, according to two sources on the call, as tensions rise during the government shutdown.
Greene, who has been publicly critical of Johnson’s decision to keep the House out of session, took her criticism directly to the speaker and said he is not in touch with what people want, the source said.
Johnson responded by saying it was not helpful to shoot inside the Republican tent, argued the shutdown was Democrats’ fault, and said President Donald Trump’s poll numbers are rising, the source added.
A clearly frustrated Greene was “forceful” as she vented her criticism, which was directed at GOP leaders for keeping the House out of session during the shutdown, according to another source on the call. Johnson, in his response, was “calm” in his defense of the party’s decision.
The Louisiana Republican also told members the shutdown pain was about to rise to a level “10,” referring to the millions of Americans who could lose food assistance in the coming weeks, as well as disrupted air travel and missed paychecks for federal workers.
Rep. Kevin Kiley of California also voiced frustration with the House not being in session, the source on the call said.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw also complained about the House not being in session, the source said.
The criticism comes after weeks of inaction from the House, with lawmakers riding out the shutdown from their districts after passing an initial funding bill in late September. As consequences from the shutdown have rippled through more Americans’ lives, tensions have been rising in the House GOP conference, with some — like Greene and Kiley — demanding a clearer plan from leadership.
Most in the conference remain in lockstep behind Johnson, arguing that the House cannot return to Washington until Democrats agree to reopen the government. Yet the strain on the GOP is evident — even among leadership loyalists — as the shutdown drags on.
Greene later posted on X in response to a report on the private call, saying, “You left out that I said I have no respect for the House not being in session passing our bills and the President’s executive orders. And I demanded to know from Speaker Johnson what the Republican plan for healthcare is to build the off-ramp off Obamacare and the ACA tax credits to make health insurance affordable for Americans.”
Democrats are calling for Republicans to negotiate with them an extension of expiring enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, but Republican leaders have said the government must be reopened first before any negotiation.
She added, “Johnson said he’s got ideas and pages of policy ideas and committees of jurisdiction are working on it, but he refused to give one policy proposal to our GOP conference on our own conference call. Apparently I have to go into a SCIF to find out the Republican healthcare plan!!!”
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