House Speaker Mike Johnson Defends Republican Record After Midterm Losses

House Speaker Mike Johnson returned to Capitol Hill on Monday and defended the Republican Party’s record after the midterm elections. When asked by CNN’s Manu Raju whether President Donald Trump should change course, Johnson said, "> I’m not going to tell the president how to do his job. We have an incredible record of the first two years of his term, and I expect more success in the days ahead."

He added, "> I’m sorry that the voters made the wrong choice. I really do believe that this next two years is going to be a bit of a circus. It’s going to be chaos, and I hate to say that, but I think that’s where Democrats are going to lead the House."

Johnson called the prospect of Democrats leading the House a “great tragedy” and argued that a continued Republican majority would allow the party to “stay on course to continue delivering for the people.”

NBC News projects that Democrats will hold a 83-seat majority in the House, with 259 seats, while Republicans are expected to have 176. The outlet also projects that Democrats will control the Senate with 54 seats, potentially rising to 56 as races in Alaska and Mississippi remain undecided.

Following the loss, Johnson told staffers he will not pursue a leadership position in the new Congress. He also criticized Rep. Thomas Massie’s renewed articles of impeachment against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, saying impeaching the secretary amid the ongoing Iran conflict would be “a terrible look” and warning against using impeachment for “political gain or cheap tricks.”

Democrats have largely supported the impeachment effort, and some Republicans have expressed concerns about Hegseth’s leadership. It remains uncertain whether Johnson can block the impeachment in the lame-duck session before Democrats assume the House majority in January.