House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday insisted that he was not negotiating with hard-line conservatives trying to oust him, despite a nearly two-hour meeting with them a day earlier to hear their demands.
Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican, is set to again meet with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on Tuesday. He so far managed to forestall her efforts to oust him, but the speaker has not ended her crusade against him.
House Republicans have expressed concerns about Mr. Johson making concessions. Mr. Johnson said he was not negotiating with Ms. Greene, only listening to her like he has done with any lawmaker that comes to his office.
“It’s not a negotiation at all,” Mr. Johnson said. “What we’re trying to do, and what my job is, is to every day improve processes, procedures, or our policy preferences or legislation and make sure that we can build the right consensus to get everybody together.”
Mr. Johnson also has the backing of former President Donald Trump, whom Ms. Greene is an ardent supporter of. The speaker told CNN that Mr. Trump was “not in favor” of the move to oust him.
Last week, Ms. Greene attempted to ramp up pressure on Mr. Johnson by threatening to finally pull the trigger on her motion to vacate the chair, which has the backing of Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Paul Gosar of Arizona.
That came after Democratic House leadership said that they would save Mr. Johnson should the ouster vote be forced, and further incensed Ms. Greene.
Mr. Trump also spoke with Ms. Greene within the last week. The ex-president did not directly tell the lawmaker to drop her crusade to oust Mr. Johnson but stressed that what she was doing was a distraction.
Ms. Greene, Georgia Republican, said on Steve Bannon’s “War Room” podcast that her decision to force a vote to oust Mr. Johnson hinges on their meeting on Tuesday.
She is demanding that the speaker not allow more Ukraine funding through the House and only put legislation on the House floor that has the majority of Republican support, among other things.
“I have high expectations and they have to be met in full,” Ms. Greene said. “There is no middle ground. There is no compromise.”
• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.
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