Former White House aide Steve Bannon disagreed with House Speaker Mike Johnson’s suggestion that President Biden’s election was “God’s will,” arguing that the country needs a House Speaker, not a “theologian.” During an episode of his podcast “The War Room,” Bannon played a clip of Johnson’s remarks, telling his listeners to “be prepared to have your heads blow up.”
Johnson was asked if he believes the Biden presidency was “God’s will,” to which he explained he’s a “Bible-believing Christian.” He said, “The Bible says that God is the one that raises up people and authority. I believe God is sovereign — by the way, so did the founders. They acknowledge that our rights don’t come from government; they come from God, and we’re made in His image; everybody’s made the same. We all are given equal rights and value, and that’s something that we defend. So, if you believe all those things, then you believe that God is the one who allows people to be raised in authority. It must’ve been God’s will then; that’s my belief.”
Bannon stopped the clip during his podcast and falsely said, “Yo, dude, he’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.” Bannon continued, “Joe Biden’s not a legitimate president of the United States. No to the Speaker. So no, God did not raise him up.” Bannon, who left the Trump White House in August 2017 after repeated clashes with other aides and the former president, has come to the president’s defense in recent years, including advancing former President Trump’s unfounded claims that the 2020 election was stolen.
Johnson’s election as Speaker in October brought election denialism back to the national conversation after the Louisiana Republican was one of 147 GOP members to vote against certifying the 2020 election results. Johnson also spearheaded an amicus brief in support of a Texas lawsuit contesting the 2020 election results and has repeatedly voiced his support for Trump. Johnson, a Southern Baptist, has also faced scrutiny over his faith and how it affects his viewpoints on specific policies, including abortion and the separation of church and state.
In his first speech as Speaker in October, Johnson said God has “allowed and ordained each and every one of us to be here at this specific moment,” a comment that likely prompted Wednesday’s question about the Biden presidency.