In a recent episode of his conservative podcast War Room, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon launched a scathing critique of House Speaker Mike Johnson's religious beliefs, suggesting they were merely lip service.
Johnson—who recently claimed God told him to "step forward" and be the "new Moses" before he ascended to the most coveted position in the House of Representatives—has been very open about how he considers the Bible to be the best representation of his political beliefs, linking himself to hard-right Christian nationalism.
However, Bannon cast doubt on Johnson's commitment to his Christian faith in light of House Republicans' support for the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
You can hear what Bannon said in the video below.
The NDAA, a sprawling $886 billion annual defense authorization bill, passed in the House with a decisive 310-118 vote, despite conservative efforts to inject the legislation with provisions targeting Pentagon policies on abortion, diversity, and LGBTQ+ rights.
This bill, a result of bipartisan negotiations, navigated around the demands of hard-line House Republicans, marking a departure from the culture wars that had engulfed the legislative process earlier in the year. It reconciled the contrasting versions passed by the Senate and the House, largely omitting the controversial provisions pushed by the far-right faction.
The compromise bill's approval triggered backlash from some House Freedom Caucus members, who deemed it a betrayal of conservative principles. Their objections centered on the removal of provisions, such as one preventing the Defense Department from reimbursing travel expenses for service members seeking abortions out of state.
Bannon said:
"Speaker Johnson, just unacceptable. You talk a big game about Christianity. You talk a big game about a biblical worldview. You talk a big game about Moses and the Red Sea and all that."
"It's all talk. Talk, talk, talk. If you had the stones and the balls, you could shut this thing down right now. The NDAA just passed. It just passed."
"This is Mike Johnson, and don't tell me you're a Christian. I don't want to hear you're Christian. Don't wear your faith. Don't give me the Bible."
"I don't want to hear more Bible verses when you've allowed the transgender, you've allowed all that garbage, all that demonic trash throughout the defense budget. So don't give me the biblical worldview."
It was a delicious case of the far-right eating their own—as evidenced by the many Republicans who echoed Bannon's criticisms.
Johnson has previously cited the Bible as the source of his "worldview" and urged members of the media to turn to Scripture to understand his stance on social and political issues.
In his first remarks after being elected Speaker in late October, Johnson delivered a speech emphasizing his belief in divine ordination, drawing upon "Scripture" and "the Bible" to assert that God is responsible for raising up those in authority.
Johnson expressed his conviction that his election, along with the other members of Congress, was not a coincidence but a divine plan. He urged his colleagues to recognize their significant responsibility and use their God-given gifts to serve the people of the nation.
Johnson is under scrutiny for his controversial far-right views on LGBTQ+ issues, climate change, and abortion. Despite mounting evidence of his extreme positions, he has argued that his faith prevents him from being a "hateful person."
