Speaker Johnson calls for Biden to 'wake up,' stop 'placating Iran': 'America must project strength'

 

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. criticized President Biden's "long overdue" response to retaliatory strikes in Syria and Iraq on Friday evening.

Johnson said he "demanded" a "clear and forceful response" from the Biden administration to the "tragic deaths" of three US soldiers killed in an Iran-backed drone strike.

"The tragic deaths of three American soldiers in Jordan by an Iran-backed militia demands a clear and forceful response," Johnson said in a statement Friday evening. "Unfortunately, the administration waited a week to telegraph the world, including Iran, about the nature of our response."

Johnson said the Biden administration's "extreme signaling" weakens the US position.

"Public interference and excessive intimidation diminish our ability to decisively end the series of attacks that have occurred over the past few months," he said.

The Republican House speaker said that since Hamas' unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, US troops have faced more than 150 attacks in the Middle East.

Johnson argued that it is too late for the Biden administration to "admit" that its Middle East foreign policy has been "disastrous."

Johnson said, "We have suffered more than 150 attacks on American forces, have lost American lives, and have spent billions of dollars in the region since October." It's time that his strategy to appease Iran has failed. Destructive for the international community and regional stability. We must stand firm against those who would harm Americans, spread terror, or threaten our allies."

Johnson said it was time for Biden to "wake up" and admit that his policy of "appeasing Iran" has failed.

"Now is the time for President Biden to wake up to the reality that his policy to defuse Iran has failed," he said. "To promote peace, America must show strength."