Noted White nationalist Steve Bannon lashed out at House Speaker Mike Johnson after Johnson said that the election of President Joe Biden was "God's will," a striking remark from a man who was one of 147 Republican members to vote against certifying the 2020 election results.
When asked by Capitol Hill reporter and New Republic contributor Pablo Manríquez whether he believes Biden's presidency is "God's will," Johnson—who described himself as a "Bible-believing Christian"—said:
“The Bible says that God is the one that raises up people in authority. I believe that God is sovereign. By the way, so did the Founders."
"I quoted the Declaration of Independence—they acknowledge that our rights don’t come from government, they come from God. And we’re made in his image. Everybody is made the same.”
“So, if you believe all those things, then you believe that God is the one that allows people to be raised in authority. It must have been God’s will, then."
You can hear Johnson's remarks in the video below.
Speaking on his War Room podcast shortly afterward, Bannon played a clip of Johnson's remarks, urging his audience to brace themselves for what he suggested amounted to a betrayal.
You can hear what he said in the video below.
Interrupting the clip, Bannon rejected the theological perspective and falsely asserted:
Yo, dude, [Biden's] an illegitimate president. Have you lost your freaking mind? This election was stolen.”
“Don’t be a theologian, I don’t need a theologian. He is the Speaker of the House. That’s what the country needs."
"Joe Biden’s not a legitimate president of the United States. No to the Speaker. So no, God did not raise him up.”
He added:
"Guys like Johnson are gonna lead to mass conversions to Islam by young men. Wait for it. If that's what Christianity gives you, if that's what it gives you as far as being a warrior when you roll over to your enemies, disgusting."
Bannon's remarks were a classic example of the GOP eating their own—and people were quick to mock him for it.
Johnson's remarks were indeed a break from his typical script.
A New York Times article from last year described Johnson as the primary architect behind the objections raised in the Electoral College proceedings on January 6, 2021, the day a mob of former President Donald Trump's supporters attacked the United States Capitol on the false premise the election had been stolen.
Johnson's argument to fellow lawmakers centered on the assertion that certain states' adjustments to their voting procedures during the COVID-19 pandemic were unconstitutional. This argument gained more traction among lawmakers than the unfounded claims of widespread fraud. Ultimately, 147 Republicans voted against certifying Biden's electors.
Johnson, a professed "Bible-believing" Christian, has argued that his faith prevents him from being a "hateful person" and urged journalists to refer to the Bible if they want to understand his policy positions.
