Chip Roy Suggests Republicans Are Open to Removing Mike Johnson

During an interview with CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins, GOP Congressman Chip Roy suggested he and his fellow Republicans may try to remove Speaker Mike Johnson from his position—though he’d “prefer” not to.

The remarks came after Johnson recently announced a $1.59 trillion top-line spending deal with President Biden and Democrats for the 2024 fiscal year. 

Johnson, seemingly all-too-aware of his conference’s razor thin majority and the unmanageably hardline position staked by far right conservatives like Chip Roy, attempted to mollify his party.

Acknowledging the deal “will not satisfy everyone” and that the arrangement (which is commensurate with last year’s Fiscal Responsibility Act) “do not cut as much spending as many of us would like,” Johnson nonetheless boasted that it’s “the most favorable budget agreement Republicans have achieved in over a decade.”

Roy, for one, was unimpressed. 

“I wish Speaker Johnson weren’t doing this,” Roy said. “So, I’m very disappointed. And hopefully we can try to figure out what we can do to change it in the next few days.”

When Collins pressed him if he’d consider moving to oust Johnson from the Speakership, Roy was noncommittal—a bad sign for Johnson.

“That’s not the road I prefer,” said Roy, adding, “I didn’t prefer to go down that road with Speaker McCarthy.”

Collins noted that Roy may not prefer it—but he didn’t write it off. 

Given the GOP’s track record with Speakers and the fact that only one Republican is needed to trigger the removal process, Roy’s words should put Johnson on notice.