Speaker Mike Johnson says he plans to invite Netanyahu to speak to Congress
House Speaker Mike Johnson said he plans to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak to Congress about the conflict against Hamas in Gaza.
WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Thursday that he plans to invite Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak to Congress about the conflict against Hamas in Gaza.
"I would love to have him come in and address a joint session of Congress. We’ll certainly extend that invitation," Johnson said in an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box."
Johnson said Netanyahu has already invited him to speak to the Knesset and they just have to work out scheduling. The speaker then denounced Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for his floor speech last week railing against Netanyahu's leadership and calling for new elections in Israel.
"To suggest to our strongest ally in the Middle East, the only stable democracy, that he knows better how to run their democracy is just patently absurd," Johnson said. "I mean, imagine if I came on your show this morning and called for regime change in Ukraine, in the middle of their crisis, fighting for their very survival. That’s what Israel is facing right now. And for the leader of the Senate to say such a thing was just outrageous."
Asked if Schumer would have to agree to Netanyahu speaking before Congress, Johnson said, "Well I guess we’ll find out. I mean, look, I’m the one that extends the invitations to speak in the House. And if we just have the House, that’s fine too. But I think a big majority of that Senate would want to come and stand in support of Netanyahu and Israel."
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