Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has filed a motion to vacate Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.
Ms Greene previously vowed to bring this motion against Mr Johnson this week. She met with the speaker twice in recent days alongside her ally, GOP Representative Thomas Massie.
Her motion is privileged, which means the House will be forced to vote on the motion within 48 hours. However, Democrats and GOP members opposed to Mr Johnson’s removal have vowed to help save the speaker.
Ms Greene and Mr Massie gave Mr Johnson a list of demands in their meetings this week. They wanted him to commit to blocking future Ukraine aid, as well as defund Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probes into Donald Trump. Mr Smith is investigating the classified documents case and the 6 January riots.
These asks were largely symbolic because the US Senate and President Joe Biden would likely block them.
GOP members criticised Ms Greene’s motion moments after she announced it.
“We know that this motion is not going to do one thing to make America stronger,” Republican Representative Anthony D’Esposito told reporters on Wednesday evening.
“It’s going to sow discord…and by the way, it’s going to fail,” GOP Congressman Dusty Johnson said to reporters outside the House chambers.