Tensions flared during a private House GOP conference call this week as Speaker Mike Johnson and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene exchanged sharp words over the party’s handling of the ongoing government shutdown. The confrontation highlights growing divisions within the Republican majority as members debate strategy on spending, leadership, and legislative priorities.
According to multiple sources, Greene confronted Johnson over his decision to send lawmakers home instead of keeping them in Washington to pass funding bills. She criticized the Speaker’s shutdown strategy as ineffective and accused him of squandering the party’s majority in Congress. Greene reportedly told Johnson, “We should be here passing bills, not hiding in our districts.”
Johnson defended the approach, stating that holding lawmakers in their districts was part of a broader pressure campaign to force Senate Democrats to negotiate. He emphasized that Republicans were “working day and night” behind the scenes and questioned how Greene’s public criticism helped their cause, reportedly asking her directly, “How does that help us, Marjorie?”
Greene later confirmed the exchange and said Johnson offered no specific proposals on critical issues such as healthcare policy. She expressed frustration over the Speaker’s unwillingness to present a detailed plan to counter rising healthcare costs and the looming expiration of Trump-era tax credits.
The exchange underscores rising tension between House conservatives and leadership as the shutdown drags on. Greene and others have pressed for a more aggressive approach, while Johnson has opted for calculated pressure against Senate Democrats, betting that strategic delays and political messaging will shift the debate.
