In a Wednesday, February 7 phone interview with Breitbart News, House Speaker Mike Johnson slammed Joe Biden for a recent speech in which he blamed former President Donald Trump and “MAGA Republicans” for the ensuing border crisis and rampant illegal immigration. Johnson asserted that Biden’s claims were baseless and “offensive.”
The House Speaker further alleged that Americans are skeptical of Biden placing the blame on the GOP, claiming the crisis began when he took the White House. Johnson cited appalling poll numbers illustrating widespread discontent regarding Biden’s handling of the border and his overall job as president.
“It was offensive,” Johnson stated during an interview on Wednesday. “I don’t think anyone is buying it. Everyone understands this all changed dramatically when he walked into the White House. Now, we’ve shown, and we continue to show the American people step-by-step, how he and Mayorkas orchestrated this. There is a reason why only 18 percent of Americans in the latest polls approve of the administration’s handling of the border. His overall approval rating is only 37 percent in the last poll I saw,” the speaker said.
Johnson called for President Biden to take accountability for his administration’s abject failure and work toward mitigating the border crisis. “That means they know he has to do something to address the border, and he won’t. The idea that he could blame Republicans for the catastrophe they created is laughable. It’s time for him to take ownership,” he added.
Johnson also stated that Biden has the necessary executive authority to take meaningful action at the border, alleging that the president has admitted so in private conversations. However, the speaker claims that Biden is avoiding this as it would force him to assume responsibility for his administration’s mistakes. “I will tell you, in private conversations, he has acknowledged that the executive authority exists,” Johnson claimed.
Furthermore, Biden has received harsh criticism for waiting on Congress to pass legislation before he acts on behalf of the executive branch. Johnson points out that even White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre admitted that Biden has sufficient executive authority to take action.
“Karine Jean-Pierre has said it from the podium. I think it was early last week that he changed his tune and said he needed further authority from Congress. She had to correct it from the podium and said, ‘The president acknowledges he has the authority.’ So, he knows it’s there. He refuses to utilize it,” the Speaker of the House then added.
“That’s why we’re so insistent he do the job he is supposed to do, and that is to protect the country. It’s not, as I’ve said so many times in interviews, this is not Republican talking points. The reason we put the five primary provisions in our bill, HR2—reinstate Remain-in-Mexico, end catch-and-release, fix the broken amnesty process and parole process, and rebuild the wall—the reasons we have all those components is that’s what the people in charge say they need. This is Border Patrol agents, veterans of the agency who have been there for decades, and you’ve got the sheriffs on the ground—everybody involved. They say if you don’t do all of these things, you will not solve the problem. He has the executive authority to do every one of those things, and he refuses to act. It is completely and 100 percent his burden and his responsibility,” Johnson said.
Speaker Johnson also recently tore into the since-shot down Senate border deal. Watch him speak to FNC’s Laura Ingraham about it was a bad deal here:
"*" indicates required fields