Johnson underscores his alignment with Trump's stance on linking federal funding to the legislation related to election security.
I reckon President Trump and I are on the same page, and that's the need for assurances on election security and funding the government, Johnson told CNN's Jake Tapper on "The Lead" Tuesday.
Trump's statements come after a six-month House GOP government funding plan overcame a significant obstacle Tuesday, but it's still in danger of collapsing before the upcoming final vote, scheduled for Wednesday. The bill incorporates the SAVE Act, a Republican-backed legislation that passed individually in the House in July, demanding documentation proving U.S. citizenship to register for federal elections, despite the existing prohibition for non-citizens to vote in such elections.
Johnson suggested that during Tuesday night's presidential debate, Trump should concentrate on addressing issues and policies, instead of launching personal assaults, which he's had to remind his rowdy group members about.
“I’ve chatted with President Trump a lot, and I’ve always advised him to run this race based on policy, on record, not rhetoric, and on policy, not personality,” he said.
Regarding Vice President Kamala Harris, Johnson commented, “She’s got a tough row to hoe tonight. ... I don’t think she’s going to shine because her record is hard to shirk.”
Johnson mentioned that the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony held Tuesday, honoring the 13 American service members killed in the Kabul airport bombing during the Afghanistan withdrawal, was an emotional day for everyone involved.
“I’ll emphasize that today we announced the names of those 13 service members who gave their lives. Their families said it was such a comfort to them. We apologize to them. To this day, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have still not announced the names of those service members. In fact, Joe Biden claimed during the June debate stage that no service members had been lost under his watch. I guess he forgot about them,” Johnson said.
A 2022 interim report released by House Foreign Affairs Chairman Michael McCaul, a Republican from Texas, only mentioned Harris twice in relation to the Afghanistan withdrawal. Meanwhile, this new report, published Monday, references her more than 280 times. When Tapper asked Johnson about these mentions, Johnson steered clear of the question.
“I believe the report illustrates Harris’s own admission,” Johnson said. “She boasted not long ago that she was the last person in the room with Biden before he made these choices. She tied herself to all those decisions, and she is co-sponsor and co-owner of the consequences. That’s her testimony herself.”
In the context of government funding and election security, Johnson encourages President Trump to focus on policy during debates, stating, "I’ve chatted with President Trump a lot, and I’ve always advised him to run this race based on policy, on record, not rhetoric, and on policy, not personality."
Despite the existing prohibition, the SAVE Act, a Republican-backed legislation, demanding U.S. citizenship documentation for federal election registration, was incorporated into the government funding bill.
