Mike Johnson Urges Calm After Republican Discloses Mysterious 'National Security Threat'

WASHINGTON ― House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) delivered a prepared statement Wednesday aimed at reassuring Americans about a vague national security threat.

House Intelligence Committee chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio) earlier on Wednesday publicly asked President Joe Biden to declassify information relating to a “serious national security threat.”

Amid growing speculation about the threat, Johnson arranged a press gaggle in the Capitol to announce that he and other Hill leaders would meet Biden at the White House on Thursday to discuss the matter.

“I saw Chairman Turner’s statement on the issue and I want to assure the American people there’s no need for public alarm,” Johnson said.

“We are going to work together to address this matter, as we do all sensitive matters that are classified,” he continued. “And beyond that, I’m not at liberty to disclose classified information and really can’t say much, but we just want to assure everyone steady hands are at the wheel. We’re working on it and there’s no need for alarm.”

Johnson didn’t take questions. Turner also refused to talk to reporters.

The speaker’s reassurance about “steady hands” leading the country was notable. Earlier on Wednesday, in reference to the Justice Department’s special counsel investigation into the president’s mishandling of classified material ― which described Biden as elderly and forgetful ― Johnson said the president was incompetent.

“A man too incapable of being held accountable for mishandling classified information is certainly unfit for the oval office,” Johnson said.

Turner has been pushing for a reauthorization of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which gives intelligence agencies broad powers to spy on foreigners