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Donald Trump has privately boasted he can direct House Speaker Mike Johnson—'I’m the speaker and the president,' he quipped—according to the New York Times, which cited two people familiar with his remarks. Johnson’s recent actions during an ongoing shutdown have reinforced that perception: he rallied Republicans behind the White House’s 'One Big Beautiful Bill,' refused to convene the House without Democratic concessions, and declined to swear in Democrat Adelita Grijalva amid an Epstein-related petition. He has blitzed media to blame opponents, backed Trump’s pardon of George Santos, and defended the president’s contentious behavior.

Prepared by Lauren Mitchell and reviewed by editorial team.