‘Let Me Answer the Question!’ Mike Johnson Spars With Fox News Reporter Over Shutdown

Fox News’ Chad Pergram challenged House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Friday, asserting he’s not “on the same page” with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) when it comes to ending the partial government shutdown.

Johnson had just addressed the press on the state of the spending bill that would re-open the Department of Homeland Security and pay TSA agents.

“Mr. Speaker, you and John Thune are not on the same page. You came out and criticized Democrats. He was the engineer behind this,” Pergram said. “Why are you not on the same page, and are you not extending the shutdown if you were to accept what the Senate had passed, this could end tonight, and the TSA lines would shrink.”

“I wouldn’t call John Thune the engineer of this,” Johnson said. “Chuck Schumer and the Democrats in the Senate have forced this upon the Senate. I have to protect the House-”

Pergram tried to cut in at that point, causing Johnson to snap, “Let me answer the question, Chad! -and I have to protect the American people. That’s our responsibility. Our colleagues on this side understand this is not a game. We are not playing their games.”

“These people want open borders and they want criminal illegal aliens in the country,” Johnson said of the Democrats. “They do not want to enforce the law, they want to literally defund. You just read it in the bill here. They want to give zero dollars to enforcing federal immigration laws and keeping the borders secure.”

“That was the biggest issue in the election of 2024 the wide open border, that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris hoisted upon the country. And 20 million — by some estimates — 20 million dangerous criminal, illegal aliens, including in that number, came over the border,” Johnson said. “We have terrorists in our country. We have obviously murderers they are putting it on display. And then these big blue cities that have sanctuary city policies that are releasing these people onto the streets, they release them over the border, when they came over under the Biden years, and that is the turmoil that we’re facing right now.”

Johnson added, “These are very serious threats to homeland and everybody. It’s not just long lines at the airport. It is the danger and safety of everyone.”

Watch the clip above via Fox News.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!