Home Speaker Mike Johnson mentioned he’s “not involved in any respect” over President Donald Trump’s order to ship 2,000 Nationwide Guard troops to Los Angeles to quell immigration protests which have resulted in clashes between demonstrators and legislation enforcement.
“I feel the president did precisely what he wanted to do,” Johnson informed ABC Information’ “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl on Sunday. “These are federal legal guidelines and we’ve to take care of the rule of legislation. And that’s not what is occurring. [California Gov.] Gavin Newsom has proven an lack of ability or unwillingness to do what is critical there.”
“That’s actual management, and he has the authority and the duty to do it,” the speaker mentioned, defending Trump’s choice.
California officers have mentioned deploying the Nationwide Guard is pointless. Newsom mentioned the transfer was “purposefully inflammatory and can solely escalate tensions.”
Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson speaks with ABC Information whereas showing on This Week, June 8, 2025.
ABC Information
“The federal authorities is sowing chaos to allow them to have an excuse to escalate. That’s not the best way any civilized nation behaves,” the governor posted on X.
Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth mentioned Saturday that lively responsibility Marines at Camp Pendleton will probably be mobilized “if violence continues.”
Requested about Hegseth’s feedback, Johnson mentioned, “Considered one of our core rules is sustaining peace by energy. We do this on international affairs and home affairs as properly. I do not suppose that is heavy-handed.”
“You do not suppose sending Marines into the streets of an American metropolis is heavy-handed?” Karl pressed.
“We’ve got to be ready to do what is critical, and I feel the discover that that may occur might need the deterring impact,” the speaker mentioned.
The president’s choice to deploy the Nationwide Guard comes after his dramatic, public falling out with Elon Musk, whose position throughout the authorities ended simply over every week in the past.
Johnson mentioned he nonetheless has not spoken with Musk since he took to his social media platform to blast Trump’s legislative precedence that Republicans are attempting to go by Congress, however they’ve exchanged textual content messages.
“The president used the phrase ‘disappointing.’ I feel that is proper. We have been upset, stunned,” he mentioned.
“Look, Elon’s primary duty is to avoid wasting his firm. The president and I’ve the duty to avoid wasting this nation, and that is what this invoice does. And we’re actually excited and pleased with this product,” he added.
Requested what his textual content messages with Musk mentioned, Johnson mentioned Musk expressed considerations about spending.
“And I mentioned, ‘Elon, the spending classes on this invoice are in two restricted areas — the border, which we promised the American folks we might do, and its protection,” he mentioned. “Every little thing else within the invoice is about historic financial savings and tax cuts.”
In response to Musk’s suggestion for folks to name their members of Congress to “kill within the invoice,” Johnson mentioned, “We have got nearly no calls to the workplaces.”
“Look, I did not exit to craft a chunk of laws to please the richest man on the planet. What we’re making an attempt to do is assist hard-working People who’re making an attempt to offer for his or her households to make ends meet.”
Johnson sidestepped a query on whether or not Trump ought to transfer ahead with chopping Musk’s authorities contracts.
“I’m not going to get into the technique of what occurs with all of that,” he mentioned.
The speaker mentioned he hopes the feud will “resolve” and mentioned, “I will proceed to attempt to be a peacemaker in all of this.”
Johnson added that he thinks it “could be an enormous mistake” for Musk to go after Republicans who assist the One Massive Lovely Invoice Act.
“I feel Elon is aware of, on the finish of the day, the rationale he bought concerned to assist President Trump win and to assist Republicans win the bulk within the Home and the Senate is as a result of he understands that our insurance policies are higher for human flourishing, they’re higher for the U.S. economic system, they’re higher for all the things that he is concerned in,” Johnson mentioned. “I feel when the emotion settles down, I feel he’ll acknowledge we’ve no alternative. We’ve got to carry the Home majority within the 2026 mid-term election, and we are going to as a result of we have to permit President Trump 4 full years, not simply two.”
