Newly-minted House Speaker Mike Johnson told FOX News in his first television interview since gaining the gavel that the U.S. stands firmly behind Israel, while back at home, lawmakers and the Biden administration alike must find common ground and acknowledge "God is not done" with America yet.
Johnson told "Hannity" the House is primed to proffer a $14.5 billion support bill for Israel, slightly more than what the Louisiana Republican said Israel – via the White House – has asked for.
However, a key difference between the House appropriation and other federal support is that the money will come in exchange for "pay-for's" in the budget, rather than simply printing the money.
Johnson said the figure is a "very specific number tied to very specific measures" and that each dollar should be offset by a cut elsewhere.
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In terms of potential U.S. military involvement in Israel's fight for survival against Iran-backed Hamas, Johnson said he is hopeful to avert a boots-on-the-ground situation, but added that during a White House meeting Thursday he reminded President Biden's staff that they have limited ability to directly respond without congressional approval.
The Founding Fathers, he said, envisioned a "multitude of wise counsel" in such matters, which he noted is why Congress has the power to declare war, not the executive branch.
Johnson added that he has met previously with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and agreed that while Americans talk of "existential threats" stateside, Israel faces one or more daily.
"Their neighbors want to eliminate them," he said.
"America will back [Netanyahu] up – they tell us when we're in Israel the reason we're able to sustain ourselves and survive is because everybody knows our big ally is America."
The perception America must continue to depict is that of the premonition that the United States will defend freedom, in an effort to stave off true military conflict, Johnson went on – citing former President Ronald Reagan's platform in that regard.
As for Republicans in his caucus who lean toward a more isolationist foreign policy, Johnson said he understands their concern that America "cannot be dropping money out of helicopters" with a $33.6 trillion debt, but also that we must show our regard for "nations of free people around the world."
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"But, we have to take care of our own house first," he added.
In terms of such domestic issues, Johnson said intentional policy choices in the time since former President Donald Trump left office have led to the current economic malaise, and a potential housing bubble cited by host Sean Hannity.
"[During] the Trump administration, we had the greatest economy in the history of the world," he said, adding it was "not by happenstance" – but through tax cuts, reining in regulation and expansion of energy production.
"We can achieve that again, but you have to do almost exactly the opposite of what the Biden administration is doing… we are trying to urge our Democratic colleagues to take a look the basic facts …"
Regarding the GOP's slim majority, Johnson made clear that each faction within the caucus must understand they will not get everything legislatively they want, going on to reference another Reagan idiom regarding the preference of 80 percent of what someone wants versus "going over the cliff with the flag waving."
In that way, he also said the U.S. will still have better days ahead, saying that "God is not done with America yet."
"I think right now we're in very desperate times – I think the hour is late and the crisis is great," the Shreveport lawmaker said.
He called for a "Ben Franklin moment" – in which Americans inside and outside of government humble themselves to steel through the challenges ahead.
At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, Pennsylvania's Franklin notably said, "the longer I live, the more convincing proof I see that God governs in the affairs of men [and] without his concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel."
When the Founders had issues, they sought "divine guidance," Johnson recounted, adding the same was true during the Civil War, Great Depression and the two World Wars.
"We have ‘In God We Trust’ right above the rostrum [in the Capitol]," he went on, adding that the slogan is "not a quaint saying" but one that differentiates America from Communist, Marxist and monarchical regimes.
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