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Below is a copy of an interview with Parliament Speaker Mike Johnson, who was broadcast on “confronting the nation with Margaret Brennan” on September 14, 2025.

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Major Garrett: Parliament Speaker, Mike Johnson, who joins us this morning from Patton Rouge, Louisiana. Sayyid President, it is good to see you. I appreciate your time. Always the burdens of speech. You know that. Former speakers know this, but they feel very heavy after the events of this week. I just want to ask you, Mr. President, how are you?

Johnson speaker: I’m fine, specializing. Thanks for asking her. There is no doubt, it was a difficult week for the country. Certainly, he was perceived in Capitol Hill. There is a mixture of, as you know, anger, sadness and fear, frankly, by many people. It casts a great shadow throughout the country and the capital of the nation. But what I know, the pioneer, is that my dear friend Charlie does not want any of us to consume despair. He wants us to boldly advance, this was his message, and to do it in love. I think, I hope the message will continue in the coming days.

Major Garrett: It is not common for this offer to pick up anything said by young Democrats in Connecticut and Republicans in Connecticut, but they issued a statement that caught a great deal of attention on the Internet, saying as follows, “There is no place in our country for the work of such political actions.” Do you believe in Capitol Hill, there will be a way to form any kind of Charlie Kerk memory?

Johnson speaker: It will be there. As you know, we had a moment of prayer and silent thinking on Earth on Wednesday within an hour of his death. There will be, I participated in the big vigil here in Patton Rouge in LSU, My alma Mater, Friday night. Tonight, we will have great, hope, prayer from the two parties and reflection in the Capitol Hill at the Kennedy Center. There will be ideas for members and prayer that I will lead on Monday night. This will continue. I think the country needs to see leaders in Congress and leaders who have platforms all over the country talking about the truth and bringing calm to the situation. We must appeal, as we mentioned Lincoln many years ago, the best angels among us all. I think this is a real moment for America (technical turmoil) – positive. And I think one of the ways to do this, the pioneer, is to build the way Charlie Kirk because while he liked a strong discussion and believed in the free market of ideas, and boldly enhanced the truth, but he was driven by love for his fellow man because he did not hate a person on the other side of the table. And I think everyone will do well to remind them of this model.

Major Garrett: Mr. President, I mentioned the word fear a moment before. He is on the lips of Congress in ways that you have not tried before. They speak frankly. They have already canceled the events. Other members talk whether it is appropriate in their family conversations asking for his re -election or not. How do you feel anxious about your membership, Republican and Democrat?

Johnson speaker: Yes, well, I have been talking to many of them over the past few days about that and trying to calm the nerves, to ensure that we will be, we will make sure that everyone has a level of security is necessary, and that the resources will be present for their residential security and personal security. We evaluate all options for that. But also, to be, as you know, mention that it takes a certain amount of courage to go out and lead. I mean, our first respondents do so every day, our members in the army do so every day and political figures as well. But I believe that if we all adopt these practices together and reject the speech, we, as you know, stop this idea, as you know, that political conflicts constitute an existential threat to democracy or the republic, we stop calling each other. I mean that the description of Nazi and fascist people is not useful. See, there are some distorted people in society, and when they see leaders use this type of language, often, increasingly, stimulates them to work. We have to realize this reality and address it appropriately. I am encouraging to know, specialization, and I see that many of my colleagues on both sides of the corridor go up and say that and take it. I think this may be a turning point, frankly, to use the Charlie term for the country, and I hope this is true.

Major Garrett: Does this turning point extend, from your point of view, Mr. President, because I know that you had a long conversation with President Trump, to the White House himself?

Johnson speaker: Well, of course. See, President Charlie knew well. He was like a family member to Trump. Many of us felt this close association with him, and Charlie’s approach was impressed by the general debate. And I heard it say that publicly. It was- Charlie was a good man, and I think the best way to honor his memory is to continue to do this particular thing, and the lack of shyness, to preserve the free market of ideas, but work on the tone of these discussions. Because I think that- I think this serves our best principles, our Christian Jewish heritage as a nation, our civil discourse, and we must return to that.

Major Garrett: Mr. Speaker of the House of Representatives, many of the issues pending before Congress, and not the least of which keeps the government open. I know you prefer CR for seven weeks clean, but there is a printing press. Extending Obamacare tax subsidies. There was a boost this week for Russia’s sanctions supported by Lindsay Graham, Republican in South Carolina, in the Senate. Will any of these, from your point of view, get something to keep the government open?

Johnson speaker: Well, listen, we were working hard at home to restore the regular system in the allocation government financing process, and this is something that has not long been unprecedented on the Capitol Hill. But I encouraged that, in a way of two parties, the Credit Committee in the House of Representatives approved all 12 annual bills through the committee. We got three of the house hall. The Senate was approved for a few, then last week, we voted to move to a conference (technical turmoil)

Major Garrett: – Well, Mr. President, I think there is a technical defect that forced us to lose your voice. We will take a quick break, and we will return to Parliament Speaker Mike Johnson in Patton Rouge, Louisiana, in one moment.

(Commercial break)

Major Garrett: Welcome to the nation. Since the technical Gremlins lies everywhere, they entered my conversation with House Speaker Mike Johnson. Mr. President, I am happy with your return. I was in the middle of the answer to OBAMACARE tax subsidies, potential sanctions against Russia and the government financing mechanism. Please continue.

Johnson speaker: Yes, sorry for the interruption there. Listen, we are very encouraged that we were able to restore regular credits and regular demand process –

Major Garrett: – Right, but will we do it? Will these two things be added to this process, Mr. President?

Johnson speaker: We will have to see. I got a consensus building on all of this, but I think we will need short -term financing. Crier Cr who will allow more time to know all this. Certainly, we hope that Democrats will continue to do so, because, if not, they have no really excuse. If they close the government, that will be their decision unilaterally.

Major Garrett: When Lindsay Graham, Republican in South Carolina, says, as he did this week, it is time for Russia’s sanctions. President Trump opened the door on customs duties against India and China as a way to create an economic crane to end the war in Ukraine. Where do you stand on all of that?

Johnson speaker: Listen, I think desperate times call for desperate measures, and I think the appropriate sanctions on Russia are late. I mean, I think there is a great appetite for that in Congress, so we are ready to work with the White House and our Senate colleagues in the House of Representatives to accomplish this and I am keen to do so, personally.

Major Garrett: Do you wait for the president to give you the green light or Congress may act on this according to his will?

Johnson speaker: Well, Congress cannot do this according to his own will, because the president, of course, will need to sign what we do in the law. So it must be a partnership, but we postpone the supreme leader. I mean that the president is a strong and bold leader on the world stage. He has mediated peace around the world and other conflicts in a way that no one before him was able to do, so we trust that he can use the same power and the same approach to achieve, finally, ending this war in Ukraine. Every person in America wants this blood to end, President Trump is forcing it, and I am sure (technical disorder)-

Major Garrett: Well. Mr. Speaker of the House of Representatives, I was told that technical difficulties continue to emerge, so we will finish our conversation here to end our conversation here to avoid you and avoid our audiences from the continuous Mayhem with technical Gremlins. Mr. President, I appreciate the time. Thanks for joining us in the face of the nation.