In a bizarre display, US House Speaker Mike Johnson addressed a sparsely attended committee room at the UK Parliament, leaving many in attendance perplexed and uncomfortable. The visit, billed as a routine commemoration of American independence, quickly took an unexpected turn as Johnson appeared to stumble through his remarks, making questionable statements and references.
Johnson began by taking a veiled jab at UK Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, noting his tendency to “go on a bit.” He then offered the obligatory words of gratitude, claiming it was a “huge honour” to address the three-quarter-full room at the early hour of 9:30 am. It was unclear whether this was said sincerely or with a hint of sarcasm.
The US Speaker did acknowledge the “special relationship” between the US and UK, praising Labour leader Keir Starmer for his “well-judged” press conference the previous day. However, Johnson’s attempt to project an image of diplomatic calm was undermined by the ongoing tensions between the US and UK, particularly over the recent controversial remarks made by President Donald Trump regarding the Chagos Islands deal.
Throughout his speech, Johnson appeared to meander, making vague references to confronting “tyrants” and the importance of human rights, seemingly oblivious to the irony of his own administration’s actions. He even went so far as to claim that the Declaration of Independence was “not a repudiation of Britain,” leaving the audience visibly confused.
The overall mood in the room was one of “enforced jollity,” as attendees tried to avoid mentioning the elephant in the room – the increasingly erratic behaviour of the Trump administration and its impact on transatlantic relations. Johnson’s performance did little to alleviate these concerns, with some speculating that he may have been deliberately playing the role of a “useful idiot” for the President.
As the speech drew to a close, the audience appeared relieved to re-engage with reality, leaving many to wonder about the true purpose and impact of this unusual visit by the US House Speaker.
