Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Tuesday celebrated the Borg-Warner Trophy for the Indianapolis 500 instead of focusing on leading Republicans.
“I’ve never been upstaged by a trophy before,” Johnson said as the trophy, awarded to the winner of the Indianapolis 500, was carried in front of him.
Johnson, as he celebrates the arrival of the trophy, has continued to face frustrated conservatives such as Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) and Thomas Massie (R-KY). Massie and Greene have sought to remove him as speaker.
“I’m the most conservative member who has ever held the gavel as speaker, but the reality of our numbers [is] our challenge,” Johnson explained to Axios. “Some of my colleagues want us to throw Hail Mary passes on every play.”
Greene has criticized Johnson for claiming he is the most conservative speaker. She replied:
Most conservative except when you… fund the invasion of our country, fund full-term abortion, fund the trans agenda, fund endless war, break the tie for warrantless spying, criminalize the New Testament, are endorsed by Democrat leadership, spend more than Nancy Pelosi.
Massie has detailed Johnson’s “three betrayals,” which include passing an omnibus spending bill, forcing through a surveillance reauthorization bill despite his prior support for reform, and passing nearly $100 billion in foreign aid with no border security funding attached.
Johnson complained during a press conference on Tuesday that he is “not getting enough sleep these days.”