Republican US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson evaded a question on Sunday regarding his acceptance of Donald Trump's loss to Democratic President Joe Biden in the 2020 election, offering a response akin to that of the former president's running mate during the vice-presidential debate.
Trump, who was defeated by Biden in 2020 and has persistently claimed that the elections were rigged, is now the Republican Party's presidential candidate once more and is set to face Democratic Vice-President Kamala Harris in the November 5 elections. Current polls indicate a close contest.
"You want us to litigate things that happened four years ago when we are discussing the future," Johnson stated during a contentious interview on ABC News on Sunday. "We are not going to dwell on what occurred in 2020; we are focusing on 2024," he added. Johnson further emphasized, "Joe Biden has been president for nearly four years. Everyone needs to move past this and look ahead."
When pressed further, Johnson retorted, "This is a game of traps, and I refuse to engage in it." In Tuesday's vice-presidential debate, Senator JD Vance, Trump's running mate, similarly avoided addressing the question.
Johnson also declined to denounce the former president's insinuation that political opponents of the Republican presidential candidate might be behind attempts on his life. Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania on July 13 and narrowly escaped another in September, which was thwarted by a US Secret Service agent at Trump's Florida golf course. Investigators have uncovered no evidence linking Trump's political adversaries to these ongoing investigations.
Johnson was further questioned on whether he would assist in certifying the 2024 election results if Trump were to lose. "I will adhere to the Constitution. ... Congress has a defined role, and we must execute it," he responded.
Trump supporters had previously stormed the US Capitol in a failed bid to obstruct the congressional certification of the 2020 election results.
