Shock: Mike Johnson Finally Humiliates Trump

MAGA Republican Speaker of the House Mike Johnson appears to recognize on some level that he's in deep ---- ahead of the rapidly approaching midterms. And according to a recent bombshell report slash interview with Johnson, not only is he trying to compensate by saying, you know, members of Trump's staff actually say I'm the co-president, but also reports indicate that if he loses the midterms and if Hakeem Jeffries becomes Speaker of the House, he may actually resign from Congress's leadership. He may go back to being a backbencher as someone who's the leader of the Congressional Republican Party. So we have to talk about this, given that Trump is actively making Johnson's life so much worse, even as he desperately pretends Trump isn't. But before we unpack all that, if you end up liking this video and you want to support the channel, please be sure to hit the like, subscribe and notification bells before you go. Let's dive in. Mike Johnson claims White House staffers have told him he's Trump's co-president. In an interview with Notice, the speaker claimed he has, quote, the hardest job in the world in trying to unite a fractured Republican caucus that holds such a slender majority. The dynamics of the House have necessitated constant contact with Trump. And Johnson told Notice the frequent communication between the two has led some in the white West Wing to give Johnson a lofty informal title. Quote, some on his staff have said, no, it's really like you're the co-president, Johnson recalled to Notice, because the president and I speak all the time. Of course, that comment doesn't figure to sit well with Trump, who's not exactly renowned for sharing credit with others. In fact, the president recently tried to take credit for doing Johnson's jobs as well of his own. Quote, I have two jobs being president and being speaker, Trump said privately back in June, according to Notice, the same publication. And actually, that's kind of true because Mike Johnson, instead of becoming the highest ranking and most powerful person in Congress, which technically the speaker is, he has ceded all his authority to Donald Trump. Trump is much more speaker of the House than Mike Johnson is co-president. So that's pure cope from Johnson. But we're gonna take a look at the article. This is from Reese Gorman of Notice. On the road with Mike Johnson as he campaigns for Republicans and his own political future, Johnson claims he might have the hardest job, quote, in the world. While he's on the road trying to keep the majority, his political future is also tied to how well these candidates and members do. If Republicans lose the majority, many across the House GOP conference, including some in leadership, don't believe Johnson will run for minority leader and will step down from House leadership. But Johnson claims not to be thinking about it, though others already are. So rather than double down, it seems like Johnson is indeed looking for a bit of an exit ramp. So he might actually be secretly looking forward to losing the midterms as well, despite the public bluster. Let's take a look at the article. Johnson's political future may hinge on Republicans exceeding midterm expectations. The speaker says he hasn't entertained the idea of serving as minority leader, insisting Republicans will win. But if lose the majority, GOP lawmakers expect someone else to get the post. Speaker Mike Johnson is in the middle of a 30 day campaign stretch, stumping for vulnerable Republican members and top challengers who will decide the majority come November. But Johnson's political fate is likely tied to theirs. The midterms will effectively decide if Donald Trump's lame duck era starts in 2027 or if he has two more years of Republican control in Congress to move his agenda. If Democrats retake the gavel, the job description of the top Republican leader will change dramatically, and the House GOP conference may look elsewhere for a figure to push back against a slew of investigations of the Trump administration. Prior to a campaign stop for Representative Ryan McKenzie of Pennsylvania, Johnson dismissed the idea that he would need to entertain a run for minority leader. But we're going to win, so I don't have to answer that question. I intend to be the speaker moving forward. Johnson claims to have the hardest job quote in the world, navigating a two seat majority with colleagues who routinely cursed at him, call him names, and refuse to be team players. But through it all, he continues to want to lead the conference, even with the constant backlash that comes with it. Sometimes the blowback comes from Trump, who has at times joked that he has two jobs, being president and speaker, due to the fact that he's often closer to secure the votes for Republican priority bills. But the speaker says others in the White House view it differently, quote, because someone on his staff has said, no, it's really like you're the co-president, because the president and I speak all the time. Again, Donald Trump is not going to like that particular. But the harshest criticisms of Johnson at times come from his own members. Some have stormed out of rooms and slammed doors on him, blocked key priority bills, or just refused to vote with leadership altogether. Still, Johnson says he doesn't take it personally. Quote, I don't get my feelings hurt. I never do. With leadership comes attacks, and you know defamatory remarks and all. That's just part of the job. You're going to be criticized no matter what you do, end quote. He also claims he doesn't hold any grudges against the members who launch personal attacks. According to a Bible verse, Johnson says he wants to practice, quote, the ministry of reconciliation and always be open to, quote, bring people back into the fold. Quote, I don't do this job for the praise of men. I do it because it's a responsibility, he said. Despite this approach, it doesn't mean he's totally opposed to punishing members who aren't team players. Johnson said there have been close to, quote, 100 members who have come forward with ideas on how to adjust conference rules to reprimand members who derail Republican legislation. Quote, that's the car before the horse. I mean, when we're organizing for the next Congress, I suspect there will be some proposed amendments to the rules to try to adjust that. Johnson has led the Republican conference through three successful, while at times tumultuous, years. He gets credit for uniting the various factions to pass Trump's signature tax bill in 2025. But now comes his biggest test, the midterms. Similar to Johnson, a lot of top leaders spend their August traveling across the country to campaign for top tier candidates. In August, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise visited 13 states and 19 cities to campaign with 18 members and 12 GOP challengers. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer has made stops in Ohio and Pennsylvania while recovering from foot surgery. House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith has been to seven states to campaign with 11 candidates. And House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan has so far been to seven states and campaigned with 10 candidates. But Johnson has a lot more riding on the midterms than others. If the Republicans are to pull it out and keep the majority, his position atop the Republican conference is all but secure. But if they lose the majority, Johnson's future becomes much more uncertain. Republicans across the House GOP conference, including some in leadership, don't believe Johnson will run for minority leader and will step down from House leadership. The speaker insisted to notice he isn't imagining life in the minority. But really, I never thought about it. But others in the conference are thinking about it. Notice previously reported on Jordan's apparent angling for a leadership position. Scalise and Emmer are also viewed as contenders for the top spot should Republicans lose the majority. Still, if Republicans lose in November, there will be a fight for top spots. Quote, in the political burndown that's coming, we slaughter everyone at the front of the room, one senior GOP member told notice. So in other words, whether he wants it or not, and there is an argument to be made that perhaps secretly he is looking forward to this, because it does seem like a job that sucks when you're torn between a cult leader like Donald Trump, who doesn't share credit and who will bully you, and also an unruly caucus. I wouldn't want to be Mike Johnson either. So Mike Johnson might secretly be looking for Democrats to win the majority. And of course, he'll never admit that. Why would you? But he might deep down be secretly looking forward to that. But either way, whether he wants it or not, that is the probable outcome. And it sure seems whether he likes it or not, he may very well lose his leadership position in the House, not just the speaker title, but his role as leader of the Republican conference. So that is deeply fascinating. I am glad to hear that there is this tumult within the Republican Party. We need to hear more of it. And I will be particularly interested to hear what Trump has to say about Mike Johnson claiming that they're co-presidents. The last time Trump had a co-president was with Elon Musk, and that did not end well, and Trump took it very personally. So fingers crossed that we will see more chaos within the House Republican conference. But in the meantime, let me know what you think in the comments. Transcribed by https://otter.ai