A video posted to Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network (C-SPAN) and later reposted to Reddit features former Louisiana Representative and now House Speaker Mike Johnson seemingly rolling his eyes in reaction to the birthright citizenship order. In the moment he is notified, you can hear him say, “Oh dear, what did they rule?” while making the gesture.
The video quickly sparked debate online, with commenters accusing Johnson of already knowing how the ruling would play out long before reporters approached him. Others used the moment to criticize Johnson personally, while some focused their frustrations on the Supreme Court decision itself.
The video begins on the topic of birthright citizenship, in which Mike Johnson responds to a reporter with, “Okay, look, yes, as a constitutional lawyer, I got a lot of opinions on this.” Shortly after making this statement, he is informed by another reporter of the news of the decision to honor birthright citizenship for those born in the United States.
That same reporter immediately asks House Speaker Johnson for his opinion. According to his body language and facial expressions, it appears as though he was not happy to hear the news. Several attendees can be heard laughing in the background of the video.
He then goes on to explain his position, believing that birthright citizenship has become wildly abused in recent years. Although the specific legal questions involved are complex, the issue has generated intense reactions from both supports and opponents of changing birthright citizenship laws.
Reactions Towards Mike Johnson’s Reaction Towards Birthright Citizenship Verdict
Many commenters suggested that House Speaker Mike Johnson’s reaction implied that he was already aware of the court’s decision before it became public. One of the top comments reads, “He’s a terrible actor, of course he knew, Thomas visited him.” This is in reference to Thomas Massie, Kentucky’s 4th congressional district Representative.
Various people replied to this specific comment, with another person writing, “He sure did! Hobbling down the hallway as fast as he could to go home when that reporter confronted him about it, catching him off-guard.”
Not everyone focused on Johnson himself. Several commenters instead expressed concerns about the broader implications of the Supreme Court’s decision. One person wrote, “He stated it was intended to serve a Nobel and important purposes. Imagine stating that then saying because there are bad actors, everyone loses that right. Okay dad… Timmy over there choked on a toy and now you wanted to ban all toys from the house.”
As the clip continues going viral online, it’s served as an example of how even a brief reaction from a high-profile politician can generate various comments and replies.
