**BREAKING: Petition Calling for Mike Johnson’s REMOVAL Nears 1,000,000 Signatures, Topping 900,000 So Far!**
Washington, D.C. – February 17, 2026
A grassroots online petition demanding the immediate removal of House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has exploded in the last 72 hours, surging past 900,000 signatures and closing in on the symbolic 1-million mark as of this morning. Launched on the platform Change.org just days after Johnson’s controversial closed-door meeting with former President Donald Trump, the petition has become one of the fastest-growing political actions in recent U.S. history, fueled by a potent mix of MAGA anger, moderate Republican frustration, and Democratic opportunism.
Titled “Remove Mike Johnson as Speaker — He Betrayed MAGA and America,” the petition accuses Johnson of “selling out” to the “deep state” and “RINO establishment” by failing to block impeachment articles against Trump, refusing to obstruct the 25th Amendment ratification process, and not aggressively enough defending Trump’s post-removal “shadow presidency.” The description, written in all caps for emphasis, reads in part:

“Mike Johnson promised to be MAGA Mike. Instead he let the traitors remove President Trump, let the witch hunts continue, let the property seizures happen, and let the RINOs stab us in the back. He is WEAK and must be REMOVED NOW! Sign if you want a REAL fighter as Speaker — not a coward who bows to the swamp!”
The petition gained traction slowly at first — reaching 47,000 signatures in its first 48 hours — before a single Truth Social repost from Trump himself on February 14 sent it into overdrive. Trump wrote: “Mike Johnson is letting the radical left DESTROY me and MAGA! If you agree he should step down, SIGN THIS PETITION! We need STRONG leadership!!!” The repost, viewed more than 81 million times, drove more than 600,000 signatures in the following 36 hours alone.
By midday today, the counter stood at 917,432 signatures, with organizers projecting it will cross 1 million before midnight. Change.org has flagged the petition as “trending” and “high velocity,” noting it is now among the top 0.1% of all petitions ever hosted on the platform.
The backlash against Johnson has been swift and brutal. Within hours of Trump’s repost, #RemoveMikeJohnson and #MAGA MikeOut trended nationally, with thousands of MAGA accounts posting side-by-side comparisons of Johnson’s 2023 speakership campaign promises (“I will fight for Trump!”) against his recent actions (voting to certify the 25th Amendment, refusing to block impeachment hearings, and publicly distancing himself from Trump’s more extreme demands). Freedom Caucus members like Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) have openly called for his ouster, with Greene tweeting: “Mike Johnson is DONE. Time for a REAL MAGA Speaker. Who’s with me? 🤚”

Even some moderate Republicans are quietly stepping away. Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) told reporters: “The Speaker needs to represent the entire conference, not just one voice. If he can’t do that, we need new leadership.” At least 14 House Republicans have now publicly said they would support a motion to vacate the chair if one is filed — just three votes shy of the number needed to force a leadership vote under current House rules.
Democrats are watching with barely concealed glee. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries tweeted: “The GOP civil war is here. When even MAGA turns on their own Speaker, you know the wheels are coming off. The people deserve better.” Progressive activists have begun cross-posting the petition on TikTok, Instagram, and Reddit, framing it as proof that “Trumpism is eating itself.”
Johnson’s office has not issued a formal response, but allies say he is “deeply shaken” and spending much of the day on damage control calls with wavering members. A senior GOP leadership aide told reporters on background: “Mike thought he could thread the needle — support Trump enough to keep the base happy, but govern responsibly enough to keep moderates on board. That needle just snapped.”
The petition’s momentum has also caught the attention of major news outlets. CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News have all led with segments on the “MAGA revolt against MAGA Mike,” while international media from BBC to Al Jazeera are covering it as a sign of deepening instability in American politics.

With the House majority hanging at 218–217, a successful motion to vacate would trigger a chaotic leadership election that could hand the gavel to Democrats if even three Republicans defect or vote present. Several Freedom Caucus members have already signaled they would support Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) or Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) as replacements, though neither has officially declared interest.
As the petition races toward 1 million signatures, one thing is clear: Mike Johnson’s speakership — once hailed as the triumph of “MAGA Mike” — now hangs by a thread. Whether he survives the week, faces a formal challenge, or becomes another casualty in the long unraveling of Trump’s political machine may be decided in the next 72 hours.
For a party already fractured by the 25th Amendment, impeachment proceedings, property seizures, and mass resignations, the fall of “MAGA Mike” would be the clearest signal yet that the Trump era’s grip on power may finally be slipping — and that the party may have to choose between loyalty and survival.