Speaker of the House Mike Johnson defended labeling this weekend’s “No Kings” rallies opposing President Donald Trump as “hate America” rallies, arguing that he was not referring to Democrats themselves but the message of the protesters.
“Just on this notion that these are, ‘hate America’ rallies — and you not only talked about anarchists, antifa advocates, pro-Hamas wing — you said this is the modern Democratic Party,” ABC News’ “This Week” co-anchor Jonathan Karl asked, referring to comments Johnson made last week. “But I remember not that long ago what you said after the murder of Charlie Kirk when you said that we should view fellow Americans, not as our enemies, but as our fellow countrymen.”
“I’ve never called anybody an enemy,” Johnson said, but claimed that “there were a lot of hateful messages” during Saturday’s protests.
“I mean, we have video and photos of pretty violent rhetoric calling out the president, saying fascists must die and all the rest,” he added. “So it’s not about the people, it’s about the message.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson appears on ABC News’ “This Week” on Oct. 19, 2025
ABC News
Pressed by Karl about Johnson likening anarchists, antifa and Hamas to the modern Democratic Party, Johnson defended his remarks.
“I never said it was the whole Democratic Party, but you and I have to acknowledge the reality,” Johnson said before turning his criticism to New York City’s Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
“Look at what’s happening in New York. They’re about to elect an open socialist Marxist as the mayor of America’s largest city. There’s a rise of Marxism in the Democratic Party. It’s an objective fact, and no one can deny it,” he said.
Mamdani has previously stated he is not a “communist,” as Trump has called him. He identifies as a democratic socialist and has repeatedly claimed that label.
Johnson also argued the “No Kings” branding of the nationwide protests was ironic.
“If President Trump was a king, the government would be open right now. If President Trump was a king, they would not have been able to engage in that free speech exercise out on the (National) Mall,” he said.
Here are more highlights from Johnson’s interview:
On not yet swearing in Democratic Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva
Karl: When are you going to swear in Representative-elect Adelita Grijalva?
Johnson: As soon as we get back to legislative session, when Chuck Schumer allows us to turn the lights back on.
Karl: Why haven’t you done already?
Johnson: Because this is the way the institution works. I’m following the Pelosi precedent, by the way.
…
Karl: And what about the Johnson precedent? I mean, you swore in two Republicans the day after their election.
Johnson: I’m happy to answer. I’m happy to answer. Pelosi precedent — Pat Ryan. Joe Sempolinski. They were elected during an August recess. So 21 days later, when the House returned to regular legislative session, they were administered the oath. That’s what we’re doing. We’re not in session right now. Rep. Grijalva was elected after the House was out of session. As soon as we returned the legislative session, as soon as the Democrats decide to turn the lights back on so we can all get back here, I will administer the oath —
Karl: You could swear in tomorrow, right?
Johnson: No. Not tomorrow. No, we couldn’t, we wouldn’t. There was an exception for two Floridians earlier in this Congress. But the reason was they were duly elected. They had a date set. They flew in all their friends and family and the House went out of session unexpectedly.
Karl: So if she flies in friends and family —
Johnson: We don’t have a date set. She was elected after we were out of session.
On former Rep. George Santos’ sentence being commuted
Karl: What do you make of that?
Johnson: The president has the right around the Constitution for pardon and —
Karl: For sure.
Johnson: And commutation, of course. We believe in redemption. This is a personal belief of mine. And I, you know, I hope Mr. Santos makes the most of his second chance.
…
Karl: Is it OK for him to say, essentially, “I’m pardoning someone because they always had the courage — “
Johnson: That’s not the reason.
Karl: “Conviction and intelligence to always vote Republican?”
Johnson: That’s one snippet of what he said, among many things about George Santos.
Karl: Should that be a factor in pardoning somebody that they vote Republican — or clemency?
Johnson: No, and I don’t think — I don’t think it was. No, I don’t think it was. I just think he’s talking about, this individual and his past, and at least he’s open and transparent about it. Joe Biden never told us anything. And frankly, we’re not even sure he knew who he’s pardoning on any one of those things.
How ICE is conducting enforcement operations
Karl: I want to play something for you that (podcast host) Joe Rogan recently said about how this is being undertaken. Take a listen.
Joe Rogan (host, “The Joe Rogan Experience”): The way it looks is horrific. It looks — when you’re just arresting people in front of their kids and just normal, regular people that have been here for 20 years. That — everybody who has a heart can’t get along with that.
Karl: Do you worry that these ICE raids are going too far, or at least — or could go too far?
Johnson: I think everybody is aware of the optics, but I do believe in the rule of law. And I believe the American people were alarmed that the, the, the border was wide open for four years, and by many estimates, as many as 20 million illegal aliens get into the country, many of them hardened, dangerous criminals —
Karl: What you’re seeing people that have been in the country 20 years or more with that have families. You know, have American citizens as children, as spouses, that are facing, you know, these pretty rough deportations.
Johnson: Yeah. And no one takes any pleasure in that at all. What ICE has prioritized is the dangerous, hardened criminals first. And there’s probably a few million of those, OK? So they’ve been trying to round them up and send them back home with great success.
Whether he has concerns about military operations in the Caribbean Sea
Karl: Don’t you have questions for him (Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth) about what’s happening in Venezuela? We have this buildup around Venezuela. We have the, the targeting of these boats. I mean, you must at least have questions. I know we have questions.
Johnson: The targeting of the boats? You have drug cartels bringing in fentanyl and boatloads of it that would kill potentially hundreds of thousands of Americans. What we’re doing is restoring —
Karl: You have no questions about how they’re doing.
Johnson: No, I believe in peace through strength. I think that the president and the commander-in-chief are in charge of ensuring national security and the safety of the American people. And I think most common-sense Americans look at that and say “Thank goodness.”
