“If Trump were a king, the government would be open right now.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson blasted the “No Kings” protests sweeping the country, saying Democrats are peddling hysteria, not reality.
Appearing Sunday on ABC’s This Week, Johnson pushed back hard against claims that President Donald Trump was acting like an authoritarian — arguing that if Trump were truly a “king,” the government wouldn’t be shut down in the first place.
“If President Trump was a king, the government would be open right now,” Johnson said. “If President Trump was a king, they would not have been able to engage in that free speech exercise out on the mall, by the way, which was open because President Trump hasn’t closed it.”
Host Jonathan Karl pressed him on his earlier comment, calling the demonstrations “Hate America rallies.” Johnson didn’t back down.
“Well, that collection of folks that I listed were certainly part of it,” he replied. “We congratulate them on an apparently violent free speech exercise. I was a First Amendment lawyer for 20 years — we defend that right — but the irony of the message is pretty clear for everyone.”
Johnson then drew a sharp contrast with former President Barack Obama, reminding viewers that during the 2013 shutdown, Obama literally barricaded monuments and public parks.
“In the last shutdown, 2013-era, President Obama closed the National Mall,” Johnson noted. “He closed all the national parks, didn’t allow people to engage in all this.”
Finally, Johnson pointed the finger squarely at Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, saying Democrats are manufacturing drama to distract from their own failures.
“They needed a stunt, they needed a show,” Johnson said. “Chuck Schumer needs cover right now — he’s closed the government down because he needs political cover, and this was part of it.”
Watch the clip below:
“If President Trump was a king, the government would be open right now. If President Trump was a king, they would not have been able to engage in that free speech exercise,” Speaker Johnson tells @JonKarl following the nationwide “No Kings” protests. https://t.co/wiTLxsYRmW pic.twitter.com/AIDORW7u64
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) October 19, 2025
While Democrats chant “No Kings,” Johnson says the real story is simple — it’s Schumer’s shutdown, not Trump’s tyranny.