In a recent interview with New Yorker Magazine, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) argued that if former President Trump were reelected, his second term would be much like his first, except it’d be “on turbo.”
Johnson, who was elected to his House leadership position nearly five months ago, spoke with the outlet, where he discussed what his top priorities would be if Trump were reelected, Republicans maintain their majority in the House and win back the Senate.
He’d prioritize cracking down on illegal immigration, raising tariffs on China, cutting taxes, expanding oil and gas drilling and rolling back regulations, the magazine reported.
“Trump learned a lot of painful lessons in his first term,” Johnson said, adding that liberal bureaucrats in government agencies “might be working against him.”
Just days ago, Trump clinched the Republican nomination for president, effectively ending the primary race and embarking on his mission to defeat President Biden.
The rematch between the two candidates is expected to be another close race, but Johnson said he thinks “we are going to be right off to the races.” He hopes that he can restore the constitutional authority of Congress as a co-equal third branch” of government, the magazine reported.
After House Republicans booted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) from his position in a historic vote, the lower chamber was without leadership for weeks as Johnson and other GOP representatives attempted to secure the gavel.
Johnson emerged victorious but has received mixed feedback during his time in power. The magazine noted that many have considered Johnson “too inexperienced” for the leadership role, “too subservient” of the far-right members in the House and “too frightened” of Trump.
During the interview, Johnson dubbed himself the first genuinely “pro-Trump” Republican leader in Congress. Johnson won Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District in 2016, the same year Trump took over the White House. He argued that other older GOP leaders in Congress are holdovers from past versions of the Republican party.
“What we accomplished in those first two years of his Presidency is amazing!” he said.