Reflecting on earlier times, Lary reminisced about when their children were younger, and Johnson’s commitments allowed for more family interaction. Despite the ongoing trials, the couple credits their faith as the anchor holding their marriage steady amid the whirlwind. Lary stressed the significance of being deliberate about their relationship, whether it means carving out quality time together or keeping communication channels open and active.

In this episode, I sit down with @SpeakerJohnson and his wife Kelly for a conversation about family life in Washington, the pressures of the speakership, faith, parenting, and more.

0:00 – Introduction
2:08 – From Rank-and-File Member to Speaker
3:02 – Preparing Children for… pic.twitter.com/NO6xmg4oGh

— The Katie Miller Podcast (@katiemillerpod) November 25, 2025

And it’s not just the frosty body language that had people talking, either. Plenty of YouTube users simply hated on Johnson and Lary, with some accusing the politician of being closeted and calling Lary his “beard.” One X user quoted a scene from the interview, in which Miller asked the couple who has the veto power at home. Johnson, without hesitation, answered Lary, arguing it’s how their marriage has lasted this long. They quipped, “We can tell. Dude is a cuck in two houses.” There was also an awkward moment when Johnson tried to act cool by flashing gang signs while discussing his friendship with Jelly Roll. “Psh, do I know him? Yes, we have selfies together,” he said matter-of-factly. “There’s one hanging in my office. No, he’s actually a really cool guy.”

Speaker Mike Johnson’s marriage has some painfully obvious problems and, during his and wife Kelly Lary’s chat with Katie Miller, several of them were laid bare. At one point, they discussed the challenges of balancing his political career with family obligations, with Lary often left to manage most of the household and parenting duties on her own. “I was raising the kids and he was just going back and forth, and it was not easy because he just had to be away so much,” she shared (via X). Things remained that way until his first year as house speaker, when the family sold their Louisiana home in order to be closer to his work in Washington (this move may have also had something to do with Mike Johnson’s shady finances).

“Our son was never able to see him,” Lary lamented. “So that’s when we decided to also have a little place up here so we could be together as a family.” The congressman at least acknowledged the toll his demanding career had taken on his home life. Being a house speaker, Johnson argued, isn’t unlike working as a firefighter: “You have to put out fires every hour” (via YouTube). The politician has missed a lot of dinners at home as a result. 

For her part, Lary recalls a time when their kids were small and Johnson’s schedule wasn’t as all-consuming, allowing him to spend a lot more time with the family. Regardless of the challenges, the couple’s faith is what keeps their marriage steady amid all the chaos. She also emphasized the importance of being intentional, whether it’s setting some quality time aside to just be together or to ensure the lines of communication always remain open.