House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) defended former President Trump's “blood-poisoning” comments, saying he wouldn't use the word himself, but he emphasized the “urgency” of President Trump's warnings against immigrants. He claimed to understand.
Asked by CBS News' “Face the Nation” anchor Margaret Brennan if he agreed with President Trump's “poison the blood” comment, Johnson said, “That's not the kind of word I would use. “However, I understand the urgency of President Trump's warning.”
“We've said it since he first ran for president that we have to secure our borders, and the vast majority of Americans understand that need and agree with his position,” Johnson said. I think there is,” he said.
Brennan then tried to clarify whether President Trump's comments were “beyond” what the president personally accepts, to which Brennan responded, “That's not the word I want to use. No,” he said. But… I understand.”
“Because it sounds hateful,” Brennan interjected.
“Well, that's not a bad thing,” Johnson retorted. “What President Trump is trying to advance is a top priority for the United States. And I think that makes sense to a lot of people. The current president, President Biden, wants additional spending on national security. “But it denies the most important thing: our own national security. And that's our own boundaries.”
Mr. Brennan argued that these points could be made without bringing up blood or purity, but Mr. Johnson responded, “President Biden's position is frustrating for us. It's very frustrating. And I think that's who he is and what he's expressing there.”
Last month, President Trump came under fire for claiming that immigrants are “staining the blood of our nation” by entering the United States.
“They're coming into our country from all over the world. From Africa, from Asia, from all over the world,” President Trump said at a New Hampshire rally last month, later suggesting the influx would lead to an increase in crime and terrorism.
The former president's comments drew comparisons to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler, which Trump dismissed days later. Trump's allies downplayed his comments, emphasizing that border security is a real concern for many Americans. Some argued that Trump was literally referring to how illegal drugs are addicting Americans.
Mr. Johnson spoke with Mr. Brennan last week from Eagle Pass, Texas, where he led a delegation of about 60 Republicans to the U.S. southern border. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has recently stepped up his calls for President Biden to take executive action against the influx of migrants, calling it a “humanitarian catastrophe”.
Johnson and several House Republicans are calling for the tougher immigration policies featured in House Bill HR2 as a condition for passing President Biden's request for additional funding for Ukraine. HR2 would restore several Trump-era policies, including building more border wall and new restrictions on asylum seekers. Biden has vowed to veto the bill if it reaches his desk.
Meanwhile, senators have been negotiating with the White House for weeks to reach an agreement on border policies that would allow funding to go to Ukraine.
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