Politics

Mike Johnson: Trump ‘Respects’ When I Tell Him He’s Wrong

IN DENIAL

The House Speaker, so far a staunch ally of the president, declined to go into specifics on what, exactly, he disagrees with the president on.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with House Speaker Mike Johnson
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

DORAL, Florida— Speaker Mike Johnson asserted on Tuesday that he doesn’t plan to be a “yes-man” for Donald Trump—but declined to go into specifics on what, exactly, he disagrees with the president on.

Johnson, so far a staunch ally of Trump’s, added that he believes the commander-in-chief respects his independence, during a fireside chat with The Hill at the House GOP’s issues conference on Tuesday.

His comments come as House GOP leadership looks to rally the different factions of their conference around key priorities while navigating a razor-thin majority—as well as an unyielding president looking to move swiftly on his ambitious agenda.

“You’re not supposed to be a yes-man,” Johnson insisted. “I’m not and I think that’s healthy. I think he respects that. And so we’ve had really healthy, productive discussions about ideas that were that we had that were different. But no, I don’t criticize the president publicly. I don’t criticize any Republican.”

President Donald Trump, center, speaks to Congressional leadership in the White House.
President Donald Trump, center, speaks to Congressional leadership in the White House. The Washington Post/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Johnson received a ringing endorsement from Trump while facing threats to his gavel just ahead of the start of the 119th Congress despite having broken with him on certain issues, including Ukraine funding.

And the Louisiana Republican is tasked with walking a tightrope as he looks to deliver on the president’s goals while keeping his conference together, which is expected to make issues like raising the debt ceiling a heavy lift.

Trump has indicated that he doesn’t want to provide Democrats leverage by relying on them to increase the nation’s borrowing limit—but Johnson indicated a bipartisan increase isn’t off the table.

“I was originally thinking that we would include it in the reconciliation process, because that’s just a partisan exercise that doesn’t require Democrat votes,” he continued.

His comments come one day after Trump addressed the House GOP conference at the president’s resort in Doral, where he publicly asked Johnson if he could serve another term.

Then-Vice President Kamala Harris certifies Donald Trump’s electoral victory while House Speaker Mike Johnson looks on.
Then-Vice President Kamala Harris certifies Donald Trump’s electoral victory while House Speaker Mike Johnson looks on. SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images

“I’ve raised a lot of money for the next race that I assume I can’t use for myself, but I’m not 100 percent sure,” Trump said. “I think I’m not allowed to run again.”

Turning to Johnson, who happens to be a former constitutional lawyer, Trump asked, “Am I allowed to run again? Mike, I better not get you involved in that argument.”

Johnson asserted that Trump was, in fact, joking, stating that comments were “tongue-in-cheek.”

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