Greene's Losing Crusade Holds a Lesson for MAGA

Marjorie Taylor Greene vows to force a vote to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson, even though it seems doomed to failure. To columnist David French in the New York Times, the unfolding narrative speaks volumes about the future of the MAGA movement. The crucial factor here is that Donald Trump is not on board with the push to remove Johnson—in fact, the former president has publicly voiced support for the speaker on multiple occasions. Greene's crusade, then, could be seen as a test of how much sway MAGA holds without the singular personality of Trump—and whether it can survive as a force without him.

"To paraphrase Senator Lloyd Bentsen's devastating takedown of Dan Quayle in the 1988 vice-presidential debate, we know Donald Trump," writes French. "And you, Representative Greene, are no Donald Trump." In his view, the future of MAGA in a post-Trump world hinges on the upcoming election. If Trump wins, the movement has another four years to strengthen its hold on the GOP and remake the party. If Trump loses, MAGA has a much tougher fight on its hands. "And if the mismatch between Speaker Johnson and Greene is any indication, I would not presume that MAGA will win the day." Read the full column. (More Marjorie Taylor Greene stories.)