At a rally over the weekend, Donald Trump called his political enemies “vermin” and echoed the sordid language of fascist dictators such as Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini.
Apparently, that was all House Speaker Mike Johnson, a proud God-fearing man, needed to hear. On Tuesday, he threw his full support behind the one-term, twice-impeached, quadruple-indicted ex-president.
Appearing on CNBC, Johnson said he endorses Trump “whole heartedly.”
“I was one of the closest allies President Trump had in Congress. He had a phenomenal first term,” said Johnson. “Those first two years, as you all know, we brought about the greatest economic numbers in the history of the world — not just the country — because his policies worked.”
“I’m all in on President Trump. He’s gonna win it, and we have to make Biden a one-term president. We have to.”
Polls show Trump lapping the GOP field, despite his 91 felony charges and myriad of legal issues. The disgraced ex-president’s rhetoric continues to become more extreme, with his “vermin speech” topping the list.
In the same harrowing address, Trump said immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country,” another recall to Hitler and Mussolini.
Over the weekend, the New York Times published Trump’s 2025 immigration plans, which include sweeping raids, giant camps–yes, camps–and mass deportation.
CNBC contributor Andrew Ross Sorkin asked Johnson about Trump’s hateful language, only for the House Speaker to demur.
“I think when we’re voting for president, it can’t be about personalities,” he said. “It’s got to be about policies and principles. If you want liberty, opportunity and security for more people in the country, you contrast the two policies and principles for Trump and Biden, and it’s not even close.”
Ross Sorkin also peppered Johnson about Trump’s criminal cases and January 6, but only received more Washington word salad.
Johnson is right about one thing: he is one of Trump’s biggest congressional toadies. As a Louisiana Congressman, Johnson took the lead in filing a lawsuit that sought to overturn the 2020 election. He also voted against certifying Joe Biden‘s win.
Hmmm… Openly rejecting the wishes of the American people to try and keep an unpopular president in power. Sounds like “liberty” to us!
Then again, Johnson’s idea of “liberty” doesn’t seem very liberating. He’s arguably the most anti-LGBTQ+ member of Congress, with a long track record of supporting conversion therapy and campaigning to criminalize sodomy.
In newspaper editorials, he’s called homosexuality an “inherently unnatural” and “dangerous lifestyle” that would lead to legalized pedophilia and possibly even destroy “the entire democratic system.”
As a congressman, Johnson has championed a national version of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation. He says the “Democrat Party and their cultural allies are on a misguided crusade to immerse young children in sexual imagery and radical gender ideology.”
Back in the mid-2000s, he argued that gay marriage “is the dark harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy that could doom even the strongest republic.”
Like many homophobes, Johnson uses his religion as a cover for his bigotry. But interestingly enough, he doesn’t seem to possess those same convictions when backing Trump, who’s been accused multiple times of sexual misconduct and infidelity.
It wasn’t always that way. The NYT uncovered old Facebook posts from Johnson in which he denounces Trump’s character.
“The thing about Donald Trump is that he lacks the character and the moral center we desperately need again in the White House,” he wrote in August 2015.
In response, Johnson said he made those comments before he knew Trump.
“When I got to know him personally shortly after we both arrived in Washington in 2017, I grew to appreciate the person that he is and the qualities about him that made him the extraordinary president that he was,” he said.
It would be fascinating to hear what won Johnson over. Maybe it was Trump’s deep knowledge of the Holy Book itself?
Add it to the rest of the entire Bible Trump doesn't know a single verse from… pic.twitter.com/Pz7VfeLuLi
— 🌊🇺🇲Travis🇺🇲🌊 (Fani Willis' Stan) (@ReallyMajorDude) November 7, 2023
Johnson’s full-throated endorsement of Trump isn’t surprising, but it is telling. The House Speaker doesn’t appear to follow the strict moral code that he professes.
Shocking!
abfab
Thank you, Alex Reimer for your excellent and honest reporting.
dbmcvey
Excellent article. This is truly terrifying.
ZzBomb
“Those first two years, as you all know, we brought about the greatest economic numbers in the history of the world — not just the country — because his policies worked.”
Yeah, that’s b/c Obama handed him a plum economy which Trump then went on to destroy with his trade wars, petulant name calling of our trade allies, and lying about a pandemic which resulted in over 950k Americans dying under his watch resulting in world wide, years long, supply shortages and inflation.
These people truly do not know how anything works.
abfab
They really don’t.
My2CentsWorth
Your comments is about a very pathetic and scary situation. So many folks indulge in nonsense lying and ignoring reality.
The efforts and success of the Obama administrations are not what they pretend happened, but that Trump started his presidency having to deal with a screwed-up economy and through his brilliance he pretty much overcame the dreadful situation.
Trump is not a mentally well person and his followers are too blind to see it. His next 4 or 8 years presidency will destroy the U. S.. The maybe brutal, but deserved, outcome will be that his LGBTQ and minority supporters will suffer the same as everyone else.
dbmcvey
Now we’ve heard from the history challenged conservative troll we can just move on.
Fahd
Nancy Pelosi was such a great Speaker of the House, and now this. Sigh….Hell in a handbasket….
The Democrats need to work very hard (where are you big Democratic donors?) to retake the House in 2024.
I’m not one for hyperbole, but the current clown show in the House is eroding/destroying American democracy.
abfab
You are among Nancy Pelosi lovers, Fahd. This is the place. She’s a good person.
ShaverC
Nancy Pelosi is the second most corrupt woman in US politics. She’s one tiny step below Hilary Clinton.
Jaesly
Shaver, explain to us again how Nancy Pelosi and Hilary Clinton are corrupt. By this I mean present evidence, not just assertions.
Even if Nancy and Hilary were as corrupt as you assert, that would not make Mike Johnson any less of a hypocritical, fascist closet case.
ShaverC
Jaesly, I’ve pointed out specific instances before but the best thing for you to do is research it yourself. One thing I will say is how do career politicians who make less than $200,000 a year become multi-multi millionaires… both sides?
ZzBomb
@Shaver
So public figures aren’t allowed side gigs, book deals, speaking tours etc???
You really don’t know how any of this works do you?
ShaverC
ZzBomb, Which speaking engagements, books, tours etc have made Nancy Pelosi worth about $120million?
Jaesly
ZZBomb, don’t bother to reason with the deplorable troll ShaverC. He has an endless reserve of insinuations he posits as proven facts. Nancy Pelosi’s husband may be a shady businessman, but that doesn’t diminish her accomplishments as a Speaker. Nancy and Hilary are corrupt merely because they are Democrats with a vagina, which is the ultimate crime to MAGA excrement.
ZzBomb
@Shaver
@Shaver
Another way to make money is the old fashion way, let me know if you’ve heard of it:
I-N-V-E-S-T-I-N-G
ShaverC
ZzBomb, Bingo. And how do the Pelosi’s continue their almost magical abilities to buy and sell at just the right time?
ZzBomb
@Shaver
If you’re making accusations of insider trading you better have evidence otherwise stfu.
Sick of the conspiracies b/c you’re too poor to make decent financial decisions so obviously someone making 6-figs for decades and investing wisely must be nefarious to you.
dbmcvey
So, unsurprisingly, Shaver couldn’t defend his comment.
ShaverC
ZzBomb and dbmcvey, Go read about her and her husband’s questionable trades. In 2020 Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) were both saying Congressmen and women should not be allowed to play the market because of a huge windfall by Paul Pelosi.
From The Hill, “And per a New York Post analysis, the Pelosis have made approximately $30 million from trades involving Big Tech companies the House speaker is responsible for regulating.”
dbmcvey
And Shaver still can’t support his comment.
ZzBomb
@Shaver
Still no proof? Got it. Claiming income (and being taxed) thru trade and equity transactions a crime does not make.
ShaverC
By the way I have a couple bridges for sale, you two interested?
dbmcvey
Shaver admits he’s a conman.
We already knew.
ShaverC
dbmcvey, Good catch, but I only take advantage of the obstinate.
ZzBomb
@ Shaver
yeah? I heard yall are still trying to find evidence the 2020 election was stolen. Let me know when you want to rejoin REALITY
dbmcvey
You only take advantage of the obstinate? You mean the people who don’t follow what you say blindly? How’s that working for you?
But thanks for confirming you’re a grifter.
ZzBomb
@dbmcvey
Love how they’ll call others “obstinate” when they still can’t be convinced the 2020 election wasn’t stolen!
If irony was a physical object, they’d be steering straight at it at full speed.
ShaverC
ZzBomb, I never said I think the 2020 was stolen. Just because some conservative people do, don’t put me in that group. I’m not even very conservative, I’m just right of today’s center.
dbmcvey, You’re the one upset with me because I “don’t follow what you say blindly” Your words.
ZzBomb
@Shaver
Except you have said you believe it was stolen, numerous times, here, on this website. Sadly unlike better journalistic sources that have a comment section where I can review a person’s account information and postings, Queerty does not have such an option. But you, you’re not just some under the radar troll. You’re here, everyday, all the time, like its your job and we all remember the things you’ve said which is why I have people coming to my defense and none to yours.
ZzBomb
@Shaver
Still waiting on that “proof” of Pelosi insider trading, like your election was stolen lie, like the climate change is hoax lie, and like gay people are only gay by choice lie.
Let me know when you want to rejoin REALITY
abfab
He’s NOT the only one SHAVERC. We’ve taken a Gallup Poll and the results show you losing, along with your other nom de plume .
ShaverC
ZzBomb, You’re lying about me. You can disagree, choose not to read the quotes I provide, hide your head in the sand, but calling people liars because you don’t like them is the argument of someone who doesn’t know what to say.
ZzBomb
@Shaver
You’d have to make an actual, coherent argument to refute first before I disagree with you. What you’ve said here, and the chain alone proves it, are lies and conspiracies. Nothing more, nothing else.
abfab
Hide your head in the sand? LOL
ShaverC
More fear-mongering. “giant camps–yes, camps”. What do you think the Biden administration uses? Camps, yes, camps! If anyone thinks maintaining control at the southern border is wrong then you need to give up the place you’re living and give it to an illegal migrant.
Jaesly
ShaverC, why do you enjoy being such an obtuse, hateful person?
ShaverC
Jaesly, What did I say that was hateful?
ZzBomb
The southern border is not out of control. Maybe if Republican led states on the border would actually let policy work instead of trying to throw road blocks up there wouldn’t be a problem. But then what else would you people whine about on a daily basis?
ShaverC
Zzbomb, Your statement is laughable. You want those states to deal with the huge influx of illegal migrants while the state you live in gets none and is sitting pretty. The problem is HUGE, and pretending it isn’t won’t help you.
ZzBomb
@Shaver
You can’t break something as Republicans have, like immigration, then point to it and say it doesn’t work when you broke it in the first place.
If the Republican led states would let policy play thru and not set up roadblocks to its implementation there would be no problem. The border is not being overrun. But again, why solve a problem that YOU created when it’d leave you with little else to whine about daily!?
Jaesly
ShaverC, the question is what have you ever said that isn’t hateful. Not all of us are rich, white, make Republicans. Deal with it!
Jaesly
Why can’t Queerty admins do something with these tedious He-Man Women-haters?
dbmcvey
So, Shaver either hasn’t heard Trump’s recent speeches or is pretending we haven’t.
abfab
Shaver is still working on questions posed to him several pages back.
RoyM
Isn’t it time that everyone recognize that all U.S. conservatives are neofascists? There is nothing mysterious here and they aren’t exactly trying to hide their goal – to transform the U.S. government into a neofascist dictatorship. These aren’t good people, they are driven only by hate and greed.
abfab
Many of us have rocognized. A long, long time ago……uh oh, I hear a song coming on!
johncp56
This dude has got to go. He’s a deranged religious hypocrite, this statement is being kind i read
abfab
It is kind, but it’s a triple-play reundancy!!
deranged religious hypocrite homophobe closet-case racist republican……we could go on forever
bachy
Same buttload of word salad and lies we got from Kellyanne Conway.
abfab
The wife. I hope she still prays. Her husband is toast.
abfab
It was a lot for House Republicans to swallow.
“That is the $1.7 trillion omnibus bill that Republicans roundly opposed last year,” Representative Chip Roy, Republican of Texas, said on Fox Business Network. “It ain’t a good start.”
Mr. Johnson acknowledged the dissatisfaction but said he wasn’t willing to risk a shutdown while he was still getting his feet under him and finding his way around the speaker’s Capitol office suite.
“I’ve been at the job less than three weeks, right?” he said. “I can’t turn an aircraft carrier overnight.”
NYT
Ah yes, so quaint and so provincial. The aircraft carrier analogy.
LumpyPillows
More evidence that the GOP has morphed into a cult.
abfab
Wake up. The morphing began several decades ago.