Johnson Criticizes Biden-Harris Administration for ‘Hypocritical’ Position on Israel
On Tuesday, the Republican speaker criticized the administration, stating that its “weak” foreign policy has played a role in the escalating violence in the Middle East.
TroibNews 
Speaker Mike Johnson is criticizing Democrats for their “hypocritical” stance on supporting Israel following Iran’s ballistic missile attacks on Tuesday.
During a speech at the New York Stock Exchange, the GOP leader urged the Biden administration to send a strong message to Iran, asserting that the attacks on Israel must not be tolerated. He called for “to fully enforce the Iran sanctions on the books and reimpose the U.N. sanctions lest they expire.”
Concerns are growing that the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran could escalate into a wider international confrontation.
“We also recognize that it's hypocritical for the administration to express support for Israel's defense while continuing to appease the Iranian regime with billions or hundreds of billions of dollars, actually, in sanctions relief,” Johnson said during his address, emphasizing the need for a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran and its proxies.
“President Biden needs to make clear that there will be decisive economic and potential military ramifications for these actions,” he added.
Shortly before his speech, Johnson released a statement directly attributing the Tuesday attacks to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, stating: "Our adversaries are carrying out increasingly dangerous attacks because of Biden and Harris' weak and failed foreign policy."
Originally, Johnson was set to discuss Republicans’ economic agenda for 2025 if they maintain control of both houses of Congress and the White House. However, the situation in Iran was not his only diversion—he also addressed disaster relief following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene over the weekend.
Several lawmakers have called for Congress to return from its pre-election break to approve additional disaster relief funding, but Johnson seemed to dismiss those requests. He mentioned that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has sufficient immediate funds to tackle the widespread damage.
“We'll be working with our members, with FEMA, with state and local emergency management, to help address the many needs that are out there, and this is going to go on for some time. … Congress has previously provided FEMA with the funds it needs to respond, so we will make sure that those resources are appropriately allocated,” he noted.
The recent short-term funding bill passed by Congress maintains FEMA's current funding level at $20 billion, which congressional leaders believe will suffice for immediate needs. While President Joe Biden indicated this week he might ask Congress to reconvene to address the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, administration officials stated earlier that FEMA is in a “good position” to handle the hurricane's impact.
Johnson did outline potential priorities for Republicans in 2025, reiterating familiar themes. These priorities include rolling back regulations from the Biden administration, extending Trump-era tax cuts for the middle class set to expire, cutting federal spending, and committing to "root out a long list of nonessential jobs throughout the federal bureaucracy."
Republicans have been quietly strategizing for months regarding how to utilize slim congressional majorities, especially if Donald Trump secures the presidency again. A process known as budget reconciliation could enable them to pass certain partisan measures without needing support from Senate Democrats, assuming they control both chambers, though this approach comes with strict limitations.
“It's our intention, with a new Senate Republican majority and a Republican president, Republican House, to pursue a policy of fiscal responsibility,” he stated.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
During a speech at the New York Stock Exchange, the GOP leader urged the Biden administration to send a strong message to Iran, asserting that the attacks on Israel must not be tolerated. He called for “to fully enforce the Iran sanctions on the books and reimpose the U.N. sanctions lest they expire.”
Concerns are growing that the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran could escalate into a wider international confrontation.
“We also recognize that it's hypocritical for the administration to express support for Israel's defense while continuing to appease the Iranian regime with billions or hundreds of billions of dollars, actually, in sanctions relief,” Johnson said during his address, emphasizing the need for a “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran and its proxies.
“President Biden needs to make clear that there will be decisive economic and potential military ramifications for these actions,” he added.
Shortly before his speech, Johnson released a statement directly attributing the Tuesday attacks to President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, stating: "Our adversaries are carrying out increasingly dangerous attacks because of Biden and Harris' weak and failed foreign policy."
Originally, Johnson was set to discuss Republicans’ economic agenda for 2025 if they maintain control of both houses of Congress and the White House. However, the situation in Iran was not his only diversion—he also addressed disaster relief following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene over the weekend.
Several lawmakers have called for Congress to return from its pre-election break to approve additional disaster relief funding, but Johnson seemed to dismiss those requests. He mentioned that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has sufficient immediate funds to tackle the widespread damage.
“We'll be working with our members, with FEMA, with state and local emergency management, to help address the many needs that are out there, and this is going to go on for some time. … Congress has previously provided FEMA with the funds it needs to respond, so we will make sure that those resources are appropriately allocated,” he noted.
The recent short-term funding bill passed by Congress maintains FEMA's current funding level at $20 billion, which congressional leaders believe will suffice for immediate needs. While President Joe Biden indicated this week he might ask Congress to reconvene to address the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, administration officials stated earlier that FEMA is in a “good position” to handle the hurricane's impact.
Johnson did outline potential priorities for Republicans in 2025, reiterating familiar themes. These priorities include rolling back regulations from the Biden administration, extending Trump-era tax cuts for the middle class set to expire, cutting federal spending, and committing to "root out a long list of nonessential jobs throughout the federal bureaucracy."
Republicans have been quietly strategizing for months regarding how to utilize slim congressional majorities, especially if Donald Trump secures the presidency again. A process known as budget reconciliation could enable them to pass certain partisan measures without needing support from Senate Democrats, assuming they control both chambers, though this approach comes with strict limitations.
“It's our intention, with a new Senate Republican majority and a Republican president, Republican House, to pursue a policy of fiscal responsibility,” he stated.
Aarav Patel for TROIB News
