Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Mike Johnson

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Mike Johnson.

Mike Johnson is an American lawyer and politician who has served as the 56th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives since 2023. As a member of the Republican Party, he has represented Louisiana's 4th congressional district since 2017, marking his fifth term in the House.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

2003: Johnson Opposed Supreme Court Decision Lawrence v. Texas

In 2003, Mike Johnson opposed the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas, which held that most criminal punishment of private sexual conduct between consenting adults is unconstitutional. His employer, the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), supported maintaining criminalization.

2003: Johnson Writes Against Homosexual Rights

In a 2003 article, Mike Johnson wrote that homosexuals do not meet the criteria for a suspect class under the equal protection clause and that legalizing same-sex marriage could put the country's "entire democratic system in jeopardy".

2005: Johnson Campaigned Against GLSEN's Day of Silence

In 2005, Mike Johnson campaigned against GLSEN's annual anti-bullying Day of Silence, asserting that it promoted the message that "homosexuality is good for society".

April 2015: Proposed the Marriage and Conscience Act

In April 2015, Mike Johnson proposed the Marriage and Conscience Act in Louisiana, which aimed to protect individuals' beliefs about marriage. The bill faced criticism as potentially discriminatory against same-sex married couples.

May 19, 2015: Marriage and Conscience Act Tabled

On May 19, 2015, the Marriage and Conscience Act, proposed by Mike Johnson, was effectively ended when the House Civil Law and Procedure Committee voted to table the bill.

2015: Johnson Links Abortions and Family Structure to School Shootings

In 2015, Mike Johnson publicly attributed school shootings to abortions and the breakup of the nuclear family, claiming that devaluing life leads to such violence.

2015: Johnson Criticizes Donald Trump's Character

In 2015, Mike Johnson wrote on Facebook that Donald Trump lacks the character and moral center needed in the White House, expressing concerns about Trump's temperament and potential for causing harm.

2016: Johnson Links Evolution Teaching to Mass Shootings

In 2016, Mike Johnson delivered a sermon where he blamed the teaching of evolution as one of the causes of mass shootings, arguing that it promotes a "survival of the fittest" mentality that devalues human life.

2017: Johnson Questions Human Cause of Climate Change

During a town hall in 2017, Johnson expressed his belief that the Earth's climate was changing but questioned the scientific consensus that climate change is primarily caused by human activity.

2017: Johnson Argues Roe v. Wade Necessitates Cuts to Social Programs

In 2017, during a House Judiciary Committee meeting, Johnson argued that Roe v. Wade made it necessary to cut social programs because abortion reduced the labor force and damaged the economy.

November 17, 2020: Johnson Alleges Voting Machine Irregularities

On November 17, 2020, Johnson claimed there was merit to allegations about voting machines being rigged with software by Dominion and that the election was rigged, citing software from Hugo Chávez's Venezuela as suspect. However, by October 2022, Johnson said that he had never supported claims that there was massive fraud in the 2020 election.

December 2020: Johnson Leads Amicus Brief Supporting Texas v. Pennsylvania

In December 2020, Mike Johnson led an effort in which 126 Republican U.S. representatives signed an amicus brief in support of Texas v. Pennsylvania, a lawsuit filed at the United States Supreme Court contesting the results of the 2020 presidential election.

2020: Contested 2020 Presidential Election Results

In 2020, Mike Johnson contested the results of the 2020 presidential election in the House and in court.

2020: Voted to Overturn 2020 Presidential Election Results

In 2020, Mike Johnson was among 147 Republicans who voted to overturn the 2020 presidential election results.

January 2021: Johnson Objects to Certifying 2020 Election Results

During the January 2021 United States Electoral College vote count, Mike Johnson objected to certifying the 2020 presidential election results from Arizona and Pennsylvania. Johnson argued that state officials had violated the Constitution by relaxing restrictions on mail-in voting or early voting due to the COVID-19 pandemic without consulting state legislatures.

May 19, 2021: Johnson Votes Against January 6 Commission

On May 19, 2021, Mike Johnson, along with other Republican House leaders, voted against establishing a national commission to investigate the January 6 United States Capitol attack.

2021: Johnson Co-Sponsors Bills Seeking to Ban Abortion Nationwide

In 2021, Johnson co-sponsored bills such as the Heartbeat Protection Act of 2021 and others, attempting to ban abortion nationwide, which would impose criminal penalties on doctors who perform abortions.

2022: Johnson Introduces the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act

In 2022, Mike Johnson introduced the Stop the Sexualization of Children Act, which would prohibit federally funded institutions from mentioning sexual orientation or gender identity, drawing comparisons to Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law.

July 2023: Johnson Speaks Against Gender-Affirming Care for Transgender Youth

At a July 2023 hearing on transgender youth, Mike Johnson spoke against allowing children to receive gender-affirming care and co-sponsored legislation that would make it a felony to provide opposite-sex hormones or gender-affirming surgeries to minors.

October 2023: Johnson Received Donations from Oil and Gas Industry

As of October 2023, Johnson had received $338,125 in donations from the oil and gas industry during his congressional career.

2023: CNN Reports on Johnson's Anti-Gay Language

In 2023, CNN reported that Mike Johnson had a history of harsh anti-gay language from his time as an attorney for a socially conservative legal group in the mid-2000s, referencing editorials he wrote calling homosexuality "inherently unnatural" and a "dangerous lifestyle".

2023: Johnson Co-Sponsored Legislation Declaring Life Begins at Conception

In 2023, Mike Johnson co-sponsored legislation declaring that human life and personhood begin at conception, with no exception for in-vitro fertilization treatments involving embryos or embryonic stem-cell research.

February 13, 2024: House Impeached Secretary Mayorkas

On February 13, 2024, the House impeached Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas by a 214–213 vote; this was an impeachment resolution championed by Mike Johnson.

November 2024: Johnson Announces New Bathroom Policy in U.S. Capitol

In November 2024, Mike Johnson announced a new policy regarding bathrooms in the U.S. Capitol, reserving single-sex facilities for individuals of that biological sex. The policy was enacted shortly after the election of the first openly transgender person to Congress.

March 2025: Johnson Criticizes Judges Overruling Trump Administration Policies

In March 2025, Mike Johnson criticized federal judges for issuing injunctions against the Trump administration's policies, calling it a "dangerous trend" that violates the separation of powers. He also suggested that Congress has the power to eliminate district courts.

August 2025: Johnson Claims West Bank Belongs to Jewish People

During an August 2025 visit to the Israeli settlement of Ariel in the West Bank, Mike Johnson stated that the "mountains of Judea and Samaria" belong to the Jewish people "by right".

2025: Johnson Supports Trump's Use of Military Force in Los Angeles Protests

In May 2025, Mike Johnson voiced his support for President Trump's decision to use the National Guard and Marines to quell the protests in Los Angeles. Johnson also suggested that the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, should be "tarred and feathered."