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Mike Johnson serves up word salad when asked about Trump's call for Congress members to face death penalty

Johnson said Trump was defining sedition while condemning the lawmakers’ video as inappropriate.

Mike Johnson serves up word salad when asked about Trump's call for Congress members to face death penalty
Image · The Independent

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Outlet credibilityThe Independent77/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 13, 2026
tl;dr

House Speaker Mike Johnson said President Donald Trump was defining sedition when Trump suggested Democratic members of Congress could face death, while calling their video about refusing illegal military orders “wildly inappropriate.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned Trump’s threats and said Democrats had contacted congressional security officials.

Community verdict

11 VOTES
How does this story look for
Mike Johnson R · LA-4

Counts every outlet’s report of this story. See all 11

● OPEN
  • Readers of left-leaning coverage: not enough votes yet
  • Readers of right-leaning coverage: 56% good look
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Votes cast on this page: ▲ 0 · ◆ 0 · ▼ 0

People in this story

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Mike Johnson
R · LA-4

Speaker of the House responding to Trump’s comments and criticizing the lawmakers’ video

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President whose comments about Democratic lawmakers prompted Johnson’s response

Trump's version of this story ↗

Mississippi representative and January 6 committee chairman quoted in the committee’s report

Elissa Slotkin
D · MI · SEN

Senator from Michigan who appeared in the video

Former president mentioned as the winner of states challenged in the 2020 election

Representative from Pennsylvania who appeared in the video

Representative from New Hampshire who appeared in the video

House Minority Leader who condemned Trump’s threats

Representative from Arizona mentioned in connection with an earlier dispute over her swearing-in

Representative from Pennsylvania who appeared in the video

Mark Kelly
D · AZ · SEN

Senator from Arizona who appeared in the video and was singled out by Johnson

Jason Crow
D · CO-6

Representative from Colorado who appeared in the video

Part of a bigger story

9 OUTLETS
Mike Johnson Responds to Trump’s Threats Against Democratic Lawmakers

Trump described a video by Democratic lawmakers urging service members to refuse illegal orders as punishable by death, and Johnson criticized the video as inappropriate. Left-leaning outlets portray Johnson as faulting Democrats while either avoiding condemnation of Trump’s death-related remarks or defending Trump. Center outlets emphasize a split: one article says Johnson rejected the death-penalty suggestion, while another covers criticism of his defense of Trump. Right-leaning outlets stress Johnson’s defense of Trump and criticism of Democrats’ message, while one article foregrounds Joe Scarborough’s backlash.

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