House Speaker Mike Johnson reacted defensively to questions from CNN's chief congressional correspondent Manu Raju regarding the ongoing Iran war, which has lasted over six months.
Raju pressed Johnson on his past statements that the conflict would be over soon and that rising gas prices would be a "temporary blip." The CNN reporter pointed out that six months have passed, people are still affected at the pump, and asked if the public should judge the speaker based on these projections.
"Manu, that is one of the stupidest questions you’ve ever asked," Johnson responded. When Raju asked why, Johnson stated, "I have nothing to do with the prosecution of the war across the globe."
Raju countered that Johnson is "responsible" because he is "selling this to the American public." Johnson then asked Raju if the House speaker should be held responsible for the duration of military conflicts worldwide. Raju reiterated that Johnson had called the conflict a "short-term skirmish" and that it is costing billions of dollars.
According to Raju's description on X, Johnson appeared "defensive about his past projections" concerning the war's length. The exchange occurred as the U.S. conducted further strikes in Iran, reportedly targeting a wedding venue, prompting retaliatory strikes from Iran across the region.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump commented that he "couldn’t care less" about any potential agreement with Iran, asserting U.S. control over the Strait of Hormuz and claiming Iran's economy is collapsing.