House Speaker Mike Johnson tried to sidestep a political landmine on Wednesday, and ABC’s George Stephanopoulos wasn’t about to let him get away with it. Pressed on live television about President Donald Trump’s controversial suggestion that “dangerous” U.S. cities should be used as military “training grounds,” Johnson refused to weigh in, triggering a tense, back-and-forth that perfectly captured the political temperature in Washington.
“The President also said at the Pentagon yesterday that he wants American cities to be used as training grounds for the American military,” Stephanopoulos began, referring to Trump’s remarks to top military officials earlier in the week. “Is this the highest and best use of the U.S. military, and is this the right way to train them?”
Johnson ducked the question in the video clip. “I do not serve in the Pentagon, I run the House of Representatives,” he replied, quickly pivoting to blame Senate Democrats for budget shutdown. But Stephanopoulos cut him off. “No, answer the question,” he pressed, asking directly whether Johnson believes it’s appropriate to treat American streets as training sites and civilians as an “enemy within.”
Johnson refused to take the bait. “I’m not going to comment on your characterization of what the president said,” he said, claiming he hadn’t seen the speech because he was “a little busy yesterday.” When Stephanopoulos pointed out that these were direct quotes, not characterizations, Johnson shot back, “Well, you can take his quotes out of context, which you often do, and I don’t think that’s fair to the president.”
For the record, Trump’s comments weren’t subtle. In a meeting with top commanders, he floated the idea of using cities as training zones and spoke about the “enemy from within,” remarks that drew concern from legal experts and civil-military observers. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly backed him up, railing against “fat generals” and promising a more aggressive, loyalty-focused military conduct. The episode set off alarm bells about politicizing the military and blurring the lines between civilian communities and combat zones.
Johnson then tried to soften the blow by crediting Trump with sending National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., and “cleaning up” crime. “And I think that’s probably what he was addressing there,” Johnson said. But Stephanopoulos didn’t let up. “Those were direct quotes from the president,” he repeated. Johnson claimed that the quotes were “cherry-picked out of a long speech.”
The legal and political implications of Trump’s idea are serious. The Posse Comitatus Act limits the role of federal military forces in domestic law enforcement. Turning American cities into training grounds could muddy the line between the military and local police, raising constitutional concerns. Critics say Trump’s language, framing cities as battlegrounds and communities as potential enemies, could inflame tensions at a time of deep national division.
Johnson’s evasions also reflect a broader Republican dilemma: how to support Trump without directly endorsing his more extreme positions. The Speaker clearly wanted to steer the conversation toward Democratic spending battles, but Stephanopoulos held the line, forcing Johnson to confront Trump’s own words. The result was a combative, uncomfortable exchange that showed how Trump’s rhetoric continues to put Republican leaders on the defensive.
