Speaker Johnson Has Feisty Answer For Reporter Saying 'The Public Doesn't Want' National Guard In DC

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Speaking to reporters on Monday, Speaker Johnson refuted a reporter telling him that polls show Washington, D.C., residents oppose having the National Guard deployed in their streets.

Transcript

00:00Why not extend the National Guard into D.C.?

00:04Why is the House not going against this?

00:07Well, my understanding is it's not necessary.

00:09The mayor has invited the National Guard to remain indefinitely, is my understanding.

00:14So we've not received a request of a necessity for Congress to act.

00:18So we're grateful for the results.

00:20I mean, the crime rates are down dramatically.

00:22I think carjackings are down 85%.

00:24I know some of y'all live in the Navy Yard.

00:26You must be much happier.

00:27The public doesn't want it.

00:28It's very clear that they don't want the National Guard on the streets.

00:31Oh, really?

00:32Oh, are you polling local residents?

00:33Because that's not what I've heard.

00:34According to polls.

00:35Lots of polls.

00:36Every single person I've talked to says, thank goodness the president acted.

00:39I'm safer.

00:40My family can walk around our neighborhood without fear.

00:43Robberies are down 25%, I think.

00:46Murders down.

00:47I mean, we went 11 days without a murder in D.C.

00:50It's remarkable.

00:51So this is the kind of thing that I think, you know, average, everyday Americans really appreciate.

00:56They don't want crime on their streets.

00:57You should be able to walk the street of any major city in America without fear for your safety.

01:01I think that resonates with the public.

01:03We'll see.

01:04What should we see?

01:05What do you expect on funding this week?

01:07Lots of heavy discussion.

01:10Obviously, the deadline is approaching, and we all recognize that.

01:13But we're going to have to have consensus built around the final option.

01:16As you know, there are a number of ideas on the table.

01:18People are having discussions in good faith.

01:20And I'm very confident that all of this will come together right on time, as it always

01:24does.

01:25And the Obamacare subsidy seems to be picked up.

01:27Steve Cornyn talked about it.

01:28I think you had another Republican sign on this week.

01:31We'll see.

01:32There's a lot of opposition to it as well.

01:34You know, I want to point out that the Democrats could have fixed this approaching deadline at

01:38any time.

01:39They didn't.

01:40You're in charge now.

01:41The reconciliation package.

01:42It didn't.

01:43It was not a priority there.

01:44They missed opportunities.

01:45Everyone has.

01:46We'll have to see how it shakes out.

01:48Can you clarify, sir?

01:49I'm not going to forecast that right now.

01:51I'm just telling you there's thoughtful conversations about all of it.

01:54Can you.

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