In a recent interview with Bari Weiss on The Free Press’s “Honestly” podcast, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson made recalled his personal observations of President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline. Johnson, who has served in Congress for several years, revealed an unsettling encounter he had with Biden nearly a year ago during a White House meeting that left him deeply concerned about the president’s mental state and his ability to lead the country.
According to Johnson, the interaction occurred during a February 2024 meeting about military aid to Ukraine. Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, was also concerned about the impact of Biden’s policies on U.S. energy exports, specifically liquefied natural gas (LNG). In a private exchange, Johnson recalled how Biden seemed unaware of an executive order he had signed just weeks earlier that halted U.S. LNG exports.
The Daily Caller reports:
Johnson privately expressed concern to Biden on the sidelines of the meeting that Biden’s freezing of U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) — reportedly to review the U.S.’s status as the world’s largest natural gas exporter — would drive European allies into dependence on Russia’s supply. This would indirectly fund Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war machine and cripple several multibillion-dollar LNG export projects in Johnson’s home state of Louisiana.
Johnson recounted, “And he looked at me, stunned, and said, ‘I didn’t do that.’ And I said, ‘Mr. President, yes, you did — it was an executive order three weeks ago.’ And he says, ‘I didn’t do that.’ He’s arguing with me,” Johnson continued. “I say, ‘Mr. President, respectfully, can I go out there and ask your secretary to print it out while we are here together — you definitely did that.’ He goes, ‘Oh, you’re talking about natural gas!’”
Biden then went on to claim that he only signed off on researching the issue.
The moment was a turning point for the speaker, who reflected with visible concern: “It occurred to me, Bari, he was not lying to me. He genuinely did not know what he signed. And I walked [back] into that meeting with fear and loathing because I thought, ‘We’re in serious trouble — who’s running the country? Like, I don’t know who put the paper in front of him but he didn’t know.” Johnson continued, expressing disbelief that such a critical decision was made by a president who appeared unaware of it.
Johnson also commented on the role of first lady Jill Biden, noting that it was not her leadership that had been steering the White House but rather a cadre of political figures who had been brought into the administration from Biden’s Democratic primary rivals. Some of the policies they were pushing were, in Johnson’s view, “incongruous” and “dangerous.”
Johnson also reflected on his relationship with President Donald Trump, whom he described as a key supporter. He noted that their relationship had evolved since both entered Washington in 2017, and while they had disagreed on some policies, those disagreements were always respectful and in good faith. “Now we talk almost constantly,” Johnson said, underscoring the strength of their rapport.
Finally, Johnson shared that he has been working on a book about conservatism, suggesting that he is preparing to offer a more substantive voice on the national stage.
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I don’t know how natural Biden’s gas is.