Speaker of the House Mike Johnson commented on threats to vacate his seat made by fellow House Republicans.
Calls for Johnson's removal have increased after the Speaker recently pushed forward a series of bills on national security and foreign aid which fellow Republicans have opposed.
On Tuesday, a group of House Democratic leaders issued a statement announcing they would oppose efforts to vacate his Speakership after several House Republicans expressed interest in his removal.
Johnson commented on a potential motion to vacate during a Tuesday press conference.
"I have to do my job. We have to do what we believe to be the right thing," Johnson said. "What the country needs right now is a functioning Congress. They need a Congress that works well, works together, and does not hamper its own ability to solve these problems."
The Speaker noted last October's motion to vacate former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy from the seat, which historically proved successful.
"Congress was closed for three weeks. No one can afford for that to happen," he continued. "We need people who are serious about the job here to continue to do that job and get it done."
Johnson reiterated he had to do what he believed was right and "let the chips fall where they may." Another reporter asked if the Speaker had been in conversation with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries about a motion to vacate prior to last week's national security bill's passage, which included a ban of Chinese-owned social media app TikTok.
"I was laser-focused on getting the supplemental done," Johnson said of foreign aid legislation for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region. "I've had colleagues from both parties come up to me on the floor of course and say 'We won't stand for this. We're not gonna shut the government down,' and all that."
The Speaker said he was not focused on anything besides passing legislation, noting no deals had been made with House Democrats.
"The Speaker of the House serves the whole body [of Congress]," he continued. "I am a conservative Republican — a lifelong conservative Republican. That's what my philosophy is. That's what my record is."
Johnson said he would continue to govern on his conservative principles, adding "We're not playing games here."
"The world is on fire because of all the things that we've talked about today," he concluded. "We shouldn't be playing politics and engaging in the chaos ... We need to be doing the job that the Framers intended for Congress to play."
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene Greene has led the charge for Johnson's ousting and has been joined by Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, who also expressed interest in vacating the Speaker's seat.
The two dissenting House Republicans will reportedly hold a joint press conference at 9 a.m. tomorrow on the matter.
