House Speaker Mike Johnson said voters had “made the wrong choice” on Election Day, warning that the next two years could bring disorder under a Congress led by Democrats.
Republicans lost their narrow majorities in both chambers after Democrats secured a wave of victories last week, which Johnson described as a “blue tsunami.”
The Louisiana lawmaker, who is expected to leave the Speaker’s post in January, was asked whether President Trump should reconsider his approach after the defeat. Johnson suggested the result itself was a mistake by voters.
“I’m not going to tell the president how to do his job. We have an incredible record, and I’m sorry that the voters made the wrong choice,” he told CNN. “I really do believe that the next two years are going to be a bit of a circus. It’s going to be chaos—and that’s a great tragedy.”
Johnson added that Republicans would have remained focused on their agenda had they retained control. “If we had kept the majority, we would stay on course to continue delivering for the people, and I just don’t know how that’s going to work going forward,” he said.
His comments came as Democrats gained an opportunity to pursue impeachment proceedings against Pete Hegseth, after Republican Representative Thomas Massie publicly read out the case.
Johnson criticized the effort to impeach Hegseth, calling it poor politics while the Iran War was underway.
“Impeaching a cabinet secretary right now, especially the Department of War in the middle of hostilities abroad, would be a terrible look,” he said. “We don’t impeach cabinet secretaries for political gain or cheap tricks, and I think everybody knows that’s what this is.”
Outgoing Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said voters ‘made the wrong choice’ on Election Day and predicts a Democrat-led Congress full of chaos over the next two years
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer poses for a photo with newly elected Democratic Senators in his office
Meanwhile, Democrats led by likely House Oversight Committee Chair Robert Garcia appear prepared to go after anyone involved with the Trump administration, having warned them to ‘lawyer up.’
Garcia has even cited new Chief of Staff Stephen Miller as a potential target over his role in US immigration policy during the deadly ICE interactions.
‘What we think is that Stephen Miller is the architect of this horrific, unjust policy happening across the country in the way that we are treating folks. Stephen Miller called Alex Pretti, as we know, an assassin,’ Garcia said on CNN Sunday.
‘The way that he is going around creating immigration policy that separates families, that is causing people harm, that’s creating a detention process where a few large companies are profiting, the unconstitutional detention of people, the way that folks are losing their due process rights, that has to be investigated.’
Democrat Hakeem Jeffries, who is in line to become the next House Speaker, said he had ‘zero interest’ in working with Miller, whom he called a ‘stone-cold racist.’
Garcia has also suggested investigations into Elon Musk and potentially anyone with the last name Trump as part of his new powers in Congress.
Johnson has announced that he will not be seeking the post of Minority Leader after harrowing losses for his party in November’s midterm elections.
Democrats have flipped control of Congress after a wave of swing races went blue, handing President Donald Trump a major check on his power for the final two years of his presidency.
They are projected to capture a historic 255-seat majority, which is growing as races are still tallied and leaves Republicans virtually powerless in the House.
Democrats led by likely House Oversight Committee Chair Robert Garcia appear prepared to go after anyone involved with the Trump administration, having warned them to ‘lawyer up’
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Garcia has also suggested investigations into Elon Musk (pictured) and potentially anyone with the last name Trump as part of his new powers in Congress
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Will Democrat control of Congress provide a necessary check on Donald Trump’s power?
A world of misery is now likely headed toward Trump, First Lady Melania, his other family members and his closest advisers, with Democrats back in control of subpoena power.
Republican firebrand Ohio Republican Jim Jordan was the first member of his party to declare his intent to seek the GOP’s top post.
Jordan is a prolific fundraiser and thrives on running heated investigations, as he chairs the House Judiciary Committee.
However, Jordan’s former Freedom Caucus colleagues have turned on him in recent years – so it’s unclear how he’ll build consensus toward a win on Tuesday’s ballot. He failed in his bid for speaker three years ago.
Steve Scalise, who is currently on Johnson’s leadership team, also said he would run to lead the significantly diminished GOP conference next year. Scalise is sure to emphasize his prolific fundraising abilities, as well as his track record of being a unifier in the conference during his run.
A battle is also shaping up for the second-highest leadership post in the new Republican conference as well.
Representative August Pfluger launched a challenge against Representative Tom Emmer, the Minnesota Republican who currently serves as House Majority Whip and is the third-ranking Republican in the chamber.
Johnson has announced that he will not be seeking the post of Minority Leader after harrowing losses for his party in November’s midterm elections
The two emerging candidates to replace Johnson to lead House Republicans are Ohio’s Jim Jordan (pictured left) and Louisiana’s Steve Scalise (pictured right)`
Pfluger currently leads the Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus of conservative policymakers on the Hill.
Democrats are hell-bent on opening corruption investigations into all aspects of the administration and Trump’s personal life, while running a potential third impeachment investigation into the president.
It will be a rocky way to end his final two years in office as legislative gridlock, spending battles and more shutdowns are set to plague Washington.
In the House, early flips to Democrats in House races in North Carolina, New Jersey and Pennsylvania powered the party’s comeback, fueled by widespread dissatisfaction with Trump and the rising cost of living.
Democrats just needed to win four seats held by Republicans to take control, as the GOP entered Election Day with a slim 218-212 majority.