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TEMPER TANTRUM

MAGA Speaker Mike Johnson Lashes Out at Voters for Election Result

The Speaker defended the Republican Party’s record after suffering epic losses in the midterms.

House Speaker Mike Johnson returned to Capitol Hill on Monday, where he blasted voters and defended Republicans after they suffered stunning losses in the midterms.

The Louisiana lawmaker was asked by CNN’s Manu Raju whether the president needed to change course after Tuesday’s losses, but even after their massive GOP defeat, Johnson defended Donald Trump.

“I’m not going to tell the president how to do his job. We have an incredible record of the first two years of his term, and I expect more success in the days ahead,” Johnson said.

“I’m sorry that the voters made the wrong choice,” the speaker continued. “I really do believe that this next two years is going to be a bit of a circus. It’s going to be chaos, and I hate to say that, but I think that’s where Democrats are going to lead the House.

President Donald Trump shakes hands with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson during an event on September 10, 2026 in Arlington, Texas.

Speaker Mike Johnson defended President Donald Trump and slammed voters after Republicans' midterm losses.

Andrew Harnik/Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

But Johnson did not stop there. He called Democrats leading the House a “great tragedy” and argued that had Republicans kept the majority, they would “stay on course to continue delivering for the people.”

But voters resoundingly rejected Republicans, who have held majorities in both chambers and the White House for nearly two years, in a total wipeout.

In the end, NBC News projects that Democrats will hold a whopping 83-seat majority, securing 259 House seats, while Republicans will hold just 176.

At the same time, Democrats also managed to flip the Senate, picking up 54 seats, and they could have as many as 56 seats, as the races in Alaska and Mississippi remain too close to call.

After Republicans lost the House, Johnson told staffers almost immediately that he would not seek a leadership role in the new Congress in January.

Johnson also fired back at outgoing GOP Rep. Thomas Massie on Monday as he reintroduced articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The speaker claimed that impeaching Hegseth as the war in Iran continues would be a “terrible look” and argued they don’t impeach Cabinet secretaries for “political gain or for cheap tricks.”

Democrats have largely backed the effort to oust the defense secretary over the Iran war and other military action. Even some Republicans have raised concerns about his leadership at the Defense Department.

It remains unclear whether Johnson has the votes to kill the effort in the lame duck session before Democrats take over the majority in January.

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