Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) is facing backlash from conservatives after initially advancing a controversial 1,547-page spending bill that handed Democrats a significant legislative victory.
The measure, which, in reduced form, passed the House last Friday, extended government funding through March 14, 2025, but left many conservatives questioning Johnson’s priorities and his future as Speaker.
Political commentator Tucker Carlson was among the critics, describing the situation as “profoundly wrong.”
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Speaking about Johnson’s leadership, Carlson said, “I watched him make the number one priority of his Speakership funding Ukraine without any audit at all, at a time when the U.S. border was open. The United States itself was being invaded, and his priority was protecting the borders of a country whose language he doesn’t speak, he knows nothing about; it’s not America.”
Carlson did not mince words, suggesting that Johnson’s actions could be considered a form of betrayal.
“I think that’s a — it’s a kind of treason, yeah, and it’s very common in Washington,” he said, while acknowledging that Johnson is not alone in putting foreign priorities above domestic concerns.
Eduardo Neret, a former producer for Carlson and a conservative commentator, also voiced disapproval of Johnson’s leadership.
Highlighting the timing and content of the spending bill, Neret said, “On the eve of Trump’s inauguration, right before Christmas, he tried … to shove through a 1,500-page spending bill that would have given Chuck Schumer all of the leverage with the debt ceiling going into next year.”
The bill, which extended spending levels and policy priorities negotiated earlier in the year with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Joe Biden, garnered unanimous Democratic support.
Of the 213 Democrats in the House, 196 voted for the measure, with one voting present and 14 absent.
Meanwhile, 170 Republicans also supported the bill, 34 opposed it, and 15 were absent.
Conservative figures have expressed frustration not only with the bill itself but also with the broader implications for Johnson’s Speakership.
Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) has already announced that he will not support Johnson in the upcoming Speakership vote on January 3, 2025, signaling growing discontent among the Republican ranks.
People call me “NostraThomas” for accurately predicting @SpeakerJohnson would use the Christmas recess to force a massive spending bill through Congress.
After claiming he would not, Johnson is embracing a D.C. tradition that’s nearly as old as decorating Christmas trees. pic.twitter.com/TRd1ZiCXtc
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) December 18, 2024
Carlson praised Elon Musk for using his platform on X (formerly Twitter) to draw attention to the spending bill, which helped galvanize opposition to its original form. “I wasn’t shocked by what happened, but I was very pleased to see Elon Musk just basically stop it singlehandedly, which is amazing,” Carlson said.
Despite Musk’s influence in reshaping public discourse, the renegotiated measure still advanced, reflecting broader tensions within the Republican Party.
Carlson’s remarks highlight a growing concern among conservatives about what they view as misplaced priorities in Washington.
The outcome of the January 3 Speakership vote remains uncertain, but the controversy surrounding this spending bill underscores the challenges Johnson faces in maintaining support from his conservative colleagues.
As Carlson put it, “Once you see that, then you lose all faith in a man.”
Watch the video:
Tucker Carlson tells me there is something “profoundly wrong” with Speaker Mike Johnson, and calls his support of other countries over the U.S. “a kind of treason.”
“I watched him make the number one priority of his speakership funding Ukraine”
Full interview coming soon pic.twitter.com/6twnjnYiwl
— Eduardo Neret (@eduneret) December 21, 2024
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