Speaker Mike Johnson joined his Republican colleagues in the New York House on a visit to Columbia University on Wednesday, urging Minouche Shafik, the president of the institution, to step down until she addresses what he saw as her inability to manage the anti-Israel demonstrations on campus.
At a press conference held on the grounds of the university, Johnson said that Shafik ought to resign "if she can not immediately bring order to this chaos."
"As speaker of the House, I am committing today that the Congress will not be silent as Jewish students are expected to run for their lives and stay home from their classes -- fighting in fear," Johnson said.
The press conference was chaotic in and of itself, with Johnson and other House Republicans subjected to constant jeers and booing, at times to the point that the crowd's yelling almost drowned them out.
"Radical and extremist beliefs are now taking over the university's beloved traditions. Jewish students here on campus and in the United States are targets because of them, according to Johnson."
Once on campus, he claimed he was going to "share with him what we have seen with our own two eyes and demand that he take action" with President Joe Biden, whose administration has likewise denounced antisemitic protests.
"There is executive authority that would be appropriate," Johnson said.
"The National Guard should be called in at the right moment if this is not resolved promptly and if the threats and intimidation are not halted. These campuses need order, and we must provide it. We can not let this continue throughout the nation. This is not who we are. This is not who we are. And I will tell the president the exact same thing that I will be asking him to do," Johnson said.
Ahead of his trip, Johnson said Shafik had "proved to be a very weak, inept leader" in an interview with Hugh Hewitt on Wednesday morning.
At a press conference held on the grounds of the university, Johnson said that Shafik ought to resign "if she can not immediately bring order to this chaos."
"As speaker of the House, I am committing today that the Congress will not be silent as Jewish students are expected to run for their lives and stay home from their classes -- fighting in fear," Johnson said.
The press conference was chaotic in and of itself, with Johnson and other House Republicans subjected to constant jeers and booing, at times to the point that the crowd's yelling almost drowned them out.
"Radical and extremist beliefs are now taking over the university's beloved traditions. Jewish students here on campus and in the United States are targets because of them, according to Johnson."
Once on campus, he claimed he was going to "share with him what we have seen with our own two eyes and demand that he take action" with President Joe Biden, whose administration has likewise denounced antisemitic protests.
"There is executive authority that would be appropriate," Johnson said.
"The National Guard should be called in at the right moment if this is not resolved promptly and if the threats and intimidation are not halted. These campuses need order, and we must provide it. We can not let this continue throughout the nation. This is not who we are. This is not who we are. And I will tell the president the exact same thing that I will be asking him to do," Johnson said.
Ahead of his trip, Johnson said Shafik had "proved to be a very weak, inept leader" in an interview with Hugh Hewitt on Wednesday morning.
