Mike Johnson Refuses to Condemn Trump’s ‘Poisoning the Blood’ Immigration Comments, Blames Biden | Video

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson CBS’s “Face the Nation” with Margaret Brennan on Sunday for a lengthy interview focused on immigration. Brennan asked Johnson if he agreed with former President Donald Trump’s comment that immigrants to the United States are “poisoning the blood” of the country.

Johnson admitted he wouldn’t use the same phrase, but said, “President Biden’s position is frustrating to us. It’s frustrating to the American people, and certainly to President Trump. And I think that’s what he’s articulating there.”

At the beginning of Johnson’s conversation with Brennan, she asked, “When President Trump says immigrants are ‘poisoning the blood of our country,’ is that a statement you agree with?”

“That’s not language I would use, but I understand the urgency of President Trump’s admonition,” Johnson replied. “He’s been saying this since he ran for president the first time, that we have to secure the border. And I think the vast majority of the American people understand the necessity of that, and I think they agree with his position.”

Unsatisfied with Johnson’s answer, Brennan then asked if Trump’s “statement goes beyond what you are personally comfortable with.”

“It’s not language I would use. But understand–” Johnson began, before Brennan interjected, “Because it sounds hateful.”

Johnson disagreed. “Well, it’s not hateful,” he said. “What President Trump is trying to advance is his America First priority. And I think that makes sense to a lot of people. The current president, President Biden wants additional supplemental spending on national security, but he denies the most important point of our own national security — and that is our own border.”

After Brennan insisted that it’s possible to talk about U.S. border security “without talking about blood and purity,” Johnson pivoted back to a focus on Biden and conservative frustrations with the president.

Rep. Elise Stefanik, who is a rumored potential vice-presidential pick if Trump secures the Republican nomination this year, was also asked about the comment during a Sunday morning interview on “Meet the Press.”

After Kristen Welker noted that many, including the Biden administration, likened the comment to the words of Adolf Hitler, Stefanik said, “Well, yet again, we have the media which is so biased, which is reiterating whatever the talking points the Biden campaign is giving.”

After being prompted to respond to Trump’s statement, Stefanik added, “Our border crisis – our border crisis is poisoning Americans through fentanyl. It is poisoning people, including in my district, who are dying from overdoses of fentanyl. And you know why? Because of Joe Biden’s wide open border, that executive actions he took on day one, so yes, I stand by President Trump and President Trump also has–“

“And his words?” Welker asked. Stefanik continued, “Yes, and the strong– he has the strongest record when it comes to supporting the Jewish people and supporting the state of Israel. Whether you look at the historic Abraham Accords, or whether you look at the ability for Jewish students to sue and stand up for equal treatment at schools under the Title 6 executive order that President Trump put into place, not Joe Biden.”

Johnson and Brennan also spoke about the likelihood that Trump will be on the presidential ballot this year. After he admitted to having “very friendly” conversations with Trump, Johnson said, “I think he will be the nominee, and I think he’s going to win the election and be the next president of the United States. So it’s important to maintain that relationship. It’ll be an important one for the country.”

Watch the interview with Speaker Johnson in the video above.

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