House Leader Mike Johnson expressed his concerns recently after an apprehensive encounter with President Joe Biden. Johnson let on that Biden appeared puzzled and oblivious about the details of an executive order he had signed, which sought to halt the exports of natural gas to Europe. This situation made Johnson anxious, leading him to question who actually is at the helm of the nation’s affairs.
Maintaining a leading role among House Republicans, Johnson voiced his suspicion that Biden’s cognitive abilities were falling short. He insinuated that this serious impairment had caused the president to cease command of the country for an unspecified period. Johnson presented a bleak picture, suggesting that Biden was merely rubber-stamping documents presented to him without clear understanding of their contents.
The meeting between Johnson and Biden was realized only after months of futile attempts, orchestrated by Biden’s close-knit cadre. Johnson harbored no resentment against Biden, instead he was impelled to express a strange sense of compassion following the meeting. ‘His final years should not be shrouded in confusion,’ Johnson commented hinting at Biden’s advancing age and perceived lack of control over national affairs.
Underscoring his concerns, Johnson added, ‘His failing grip over affairs has been a matter of my personal observation over the past year and a half. An observation that is now shared with the world and one that has caused considerable alarm.’ Johnson recalled that he took over as Speaker in October 2023, when the country was fraught with major national security challenges.
He expressed disappointment over the administration’s lack of cooperation in scheduling a meeting, despite his position as the Speaker of the House. Johnson explained that, given the urgent national situations, it seemed logical for the Speaker and President to engage. However, repeated requests over a couple of months were simply ignored.
When he did finally meet Biden, Johnson shared, instead of having a one-on-one meeting as initially intended, a glitzy ensemble, including Senate Democrats, House Democrats, Vice President Kamala Harris, and a CIA official, were also present. A private conversation with Biden was only possible after the President requested, quite hesitantly, for his advisors to vacate the room.
In the private conversation, Johnson took the opportunity to discuss national security concerns. However, he pressed Biden further on an executive order that was causing distress among his electorate in Louisiana. ‘Mr. President, I am unable to explain to my constituents, why you decided to suspend LNG exports to Europe,’ Johnson narrated his conversation.
He continued, ‘Our recent discussion on Ukraine should help you understand that you’re inadvertently aiding Putin’s war plan as he monopolizes the European gas market.’ Shockingly, Biden looked at him blankly, denying he had taken such an action.
‘That’s not my doing,’ Biden responded, evidently perplexed. ‘Mr. President, you signed that executive order just three weeks ago,’ Johnson contended, to which Biden stubbornly replied, ‘No, I did not authorize that.’ Johnson couldn’t help but think, ‘How could the President not be aware of his own actions?’
Biden argued that he had instead sanctioned a study to examine the effects of LNG exports. Johnson firmly intervened once more stating, ‘Mr. President, no, you’ve put a pause on it. The effects are quite clear – we have export terminals in my state that are being significantly affected! We are witnessing first-hand the damage done to our economy and national security.’
Johnson ended the conversation with a realization that Biden was not lying –- he appeared genuinely unaware of what he had signed off on. Johnson confessed that leaving the meeting, he was gripped by an unsettling combination of fear and disgust. He thought, ‘This is a critical moment for our country. It begs the question: Who is driving the nation?’.
On January 26, 2024, despite Biden’s clear befuddlement, the White House official statement announced a ‘temporary pause on pending approvals of liquefied natural gas exports’ in support of its climate agenda. Johnson’s meeting with Biden reignited public debates over the President’s cognitive abilities and the real forces controlling the administration’s actions.
Through his recounting, Johnson suggested that the President’s office was functioning under the influence of unknown advisers, whose actions led to detrimental decisions, such as the suspension of natural gas exports. With the President’s cognitive abilities seriously in question, the larger concern was about the shadowy influences guiding the hand that signs crucial executive orders.
In light of this information, the widespread public unease about the direction the country is heading under the control of Biden and his bumbling cabinet cannot be underestimated. As Johnson distastefully noted, it appears the nation is stuck in ‘serious trouble’ and left questioning, ‘Who is running the country?’