WASHINGTON — This morning, at the weekly House Republican Leadership press conference, Speaker Johnson discussed President Trump’s historic and transformational first year back in office ahead of his State of the Union address tonight. Speaker Johnson also highlighted Democrats’ continued obstruction amid their third government shutdown this Congress.
“We’re putting more money back in your pockets, we’re restoring peace through strength, we’re defending our border and deporting criminal illegal aliens, we’re standing up for American industry and manufacturing and we’re making American workers – not foreign countries – the clear winners in this American economy,” Speaker Johnson said. “Those are not talking points; that is what we have delivered.”
Watch Speaker Johnson’s press conference remarks here.
On the State of the Union address:
Republicans have a far simpler and far superior message for Americans watching at home. We’re putting more money back in your pockets, we’re restoring peace through strength, we’re defending our border and deporting criminal illegal aliens, we’re standing up for American industry and manufacturing and we’re making American workers – not foreign countries – the clear winners in this American economy. Those are not talking points; that is what we have delivered. It’s called Republican results, and we are proud to run on that message in this fateful midterm election year.
So tonight, President Trump will demonstrate that Republicans are the only team working seriously to bring common sense back to our broken system. It’s promises made promises kept. And he’s working, and we’re all working together, to make the country stronger, safer more affordable, and more prosperous for all Americans, and many of them will be represented in that that big beautiful gallery tonight. The American people will see that reflected this evening and in the months ahead as we press forward on all of those promises and so much more. We’re excited; it’s a great time for America.
On the third Democrat shutdown:
It’s almost unbelievable to us not one not two but now three government shutdowns in just the last 100 days. What in the world are they thinking this time they’ve taken hostage as you know the Department of Homeland Security. The department that is literally in its name it’s very indicative of its of its duties it keeps Americans safe and so funding for the agencies that protect our borders and mitigate disasters and help keep all of us able to walk down the streets without fear. That’s the agency they’ve chosen to hold hostage well before the funding deadline Republicans as you know worked in good faith to pass a year-long full year funding for DHS and we did that through a bipartisan committee process Democrats in both the House and the Senate negotiated on that and now Democrats in both chambers have reneged on that bipartisan deal.
On the consequences of the Democrat shutdown of critical national security functions:
The consequences of Democrat shutdown are already painfully clear. Look at FEMA: their operations are really important right now. If they haven’t noticed, we have a historic season of winter storms slamming the East Coast, even as we speak, in the northern parts. TSA is having to make difficult resource decisions as you’ve seen, and agents are working another week without pay. Some of those are high stress positions and it’s not right and it’s not fair. The Secret Service, as you know, is charged among its other duties of protecting the President and yet another armed attempt was made on his life just this weekend. This is not a game.
I don’t need to remind anybody. 2026 is an historic year for our country, and it will be a great year of celebration; it will be a part of the big golden era, the 250th celebration and our birthday. But you’re going to have during the year tens of millions of guests. We’re hosting the FIFA World Cup in 11 cities around America; we have festivals and tournaments and so many highly attended, high profile events around the country. Obviously, we need the protection of a fully funded Department of Homeland Security. We shouldn’t even have to say that this this gambit that the Democrats are involved in is as foolish as it is dangerous. They cannot hold up that critical funding any longer. There is planning that’s required for these events, there’s all sorts of logistics involved and personnel as well and it’s time for Democrats to do their job before they risk the literal lives of the American people any further.
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