Mike Johnson says he works over 18 hours daily to match Trump's 21-hour routine
WASHINGTON, DC: House Speaker Mike Johnson defended his extreme workload during an appearance on Fix Business Friday, insisting he routinely clocks more than 18-hour days to keep pace with President Donald Trump's "21-hour" routine.
Johnson framed his position as one of historic urgency, calling himself a "wartime speaker" and describing a daily grind defined by missed calls, relentless pressure and a Republican caucus he insists is unified. His remarks come as he continues promoting the party's legislative priorities and navigating intense scrutiny.
Mike Johnson says Trump's '21 hour' days set the pace
Speaking with host Stuart Varney on 'Varney & Co,' Johnson pushed back immediately when asked if he works 18 hours a day. "More, more," he replied. "And I have to because President Trump works 21 hours a day," he said.
Varney commented that Johnson seems to be "always surrounded by hostile media," prompting Louisiana Republican to frame his responsibilities in historic terms. "No, look, we accept this duty humbly. It's an important time in American history," Johnson said.
When asked whether he enjoys the job, Johnson pointed to the high-pressure landscape described in a recent interview he and his wife, Kelly Johnson, gave on 'The Katie Miller Podcast.
"I'm a wartime speaker in a real sense," he told Varney. "It's not the most enjoyable job in the world but I do love what we're doing. I love the team I work with. We have a unified Republican Party. If we didn't, Stuart, we would not have delivered on all the things we have this year. There’s much more ahead of us, and this team is excited about it."
Varney pressed him on policy, saying, "just give us the tax cuts and the regulatory cuts." Johnson replied, "there's more coming."
Nonstop calls, missed messages, and a "triage" at home
Johnson highlighted the personal toll of his workload during the joint interview with his wife, saying that he is inundated with communication from supporter lawmakers and officials. "I think literally 100,000 people have my number," he said. “The greatest challenge of my day is trying to keep up. Because I miss literally hundreds of calls and text messages in a day," he added.
He said that the sheer volume of messages often leavs him unsure whether he has overlooked something crucial, "The peril is, I don’t know how important it was, what I missed," he said.
At home, Johnson said the strain is constraint. "We're in a triage every day" he continued, describing an environment where family life is shaped around unpredictable political demands.
