Speaker Johnson to Schumer: ‘Just plain wrong’

At a news conference alongside House Republican Leadership, Speaker Johnson on Thursday addressed what he called Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s misguided calls to oust Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and hold new elections in Israel.

“This is not only highly inappropriate, it’s just plain wrong for an American leader to play such a divisive role in Israeli politics, while our closest ally in the region is in an existential battle for its very survival,” Johnson said.

Read below for a full transcript of Speaker Johnson’s statement:

“Good afternoon. We’re here at the House Republican Issues Conference, and as we were in a work session here within the last half hour, there was a buzz among the audience as people were seeing notices come across their phone as something that was rather shocking to us.

“We saw the remarks from Senator Chuck Schumer calling for new elections in Israel. And we want to speak very clearly and concisely to say that this is not only highly inappropriate, it’s just plain wrong for an American leader to play such a divisive role in Israeli politics, while our closest ally in the region is in an existential battle for its very survival.

“We need to be standing with Israel, and we need to give our friends and allies our full support. We have to stand with and support them right now. But what you’re seeing from the White House and clearly from the Senate Democrats is really exactly the opposite.

“They seem to be standing with and supporting Iran and its proxies instead. This is an extension of the Democrats foreign policy that has projected weakness on the world stage and undermined our allies around the world. The most important election, in our view, is not what may happen in Israel, but the one that is needed right here in the United States. It will happen in November, and it cannot get here soon enough.”

Johnson said Schumer and Senate Democrats have refused to consider multiple bipartisan bills, including security assistance, passed by the House to support Israel and punish Iran and its proxies:

• H.R.340 – Hamas International Financing Prevention Act
• H.R.3099 – Special Envoy for the Abraham Accords Act
• H.R.3152 – Fight and Combat Rampant Iranian Missile Exports Act
• H.R.3774 – Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum Act
• H.R.5961 – No Funds for Iranian Terrorism Act
• H.R.6126 – Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024
• H.R.6679 – No Immigration Benefits for Hamas Terrorists Act

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