House Speaker Mike Johnson has offered a fresh glimpse into what he sees as the Biden administration’s alarming lack of leadership, recounting a recent encounter with President Joe Biden that left him shaking his head. Johnson’s story, shared in a candid interview, revolved around a critical issue: Biden’s executive order halting new permits for exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe. The decision, which carries major economic repercussions for states like Louisiana and significant geopolitical stakes, appeared to take the president himself by surprise. According to Johnson, Biden’s response wasn’t calculated spin—it was sheer confusion.
When Johnson asked Biden why LNG exports had been paused, the president reportedly denied any such action, insisting he hadn’t signed an order to that effect. Even after Johnson reminded him that the executive order had been signed just weeks earlier, Biden maintained it was merely a study, not a suspension. Johnson suggested they pull up the document and review it together, but the interaction underscored what Johnson saw as a troubling reality: Biden seemed genuinely unaware of the policies coming out of his own office. The episode left Johnson questioning who’s really pulling the strings in the White House.
The encounter left a lasting impression on Johnson, who walked away with what he described as a deep unease. This wasn’t just a case of a president sidestepping tough questions or deflecting blame. To Johnson, it was clear that Biden didn’t even know what he had signed. The Speaker speculated that Biden may have handed over significant control to progressive power brokers within his party, trading influence for their support during his campaign. If true, it paints a picture of a presidency guided not by the man in the Oval Office but by a network of behind-the-scenes operators pushing their own agendas.
Johnson framed the incident as part of a broader pattern of dysfunction within the Biden administration. A meeting intended to discuss aid for Ukraine veered into a surreal conversation about LNG exports, exposing a leadership vacuum at the highest levels. For Johnson and like-minded conservatives, this episode reinforces the perception that Biden is a figurehead rather than a decision-maker, rubber-stamping policies without fully grasping their implications. The LNG pause is just one example, but it’s emblematic of an administration that often seems more reactive than proactive.
The Speaker’s candid account adds credibility to ongoing concerns about governance and accountability under Biden. While reports of chaos within the White House have circulated before, Johnson’s firsthand perspective puts a sharper focus on the issue. To critics of the administration, this story isn’t just a political jab—it’s a glaring reminder of the risks posed by a lack of leadership at the helm. Whether this revelation leads to greater scrutiny or is dismissed as partisan noise, it raises pressing questions about who is really running the country and how decisions are being made in Washington.