Andrew Ross Sorkin Confronts Mike Johnson Defending Trump’s Respect for the Rule of Law: ‘He’s Been Indicted On 40 Different Charges!’

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) joined CNBC’s Squawk Box on Tuesday for a lengthy interview that covered a range of topics from GOP infighting on funding the government to Johnson’s support for former President Donald Trump.

Johnson vehemently defended Trump as hosts Joe Kernen and Andrew Ross Sorkin pressed him on Trump’s spotty record when it comes to the rule of law and his public vows to use the powers of government to go after his political enemies if he is returned to office.

“I think that there’s a lot of Americans who look at the former vice president, former president, rather, as fundamentally divisive to the country. They look at January 6th and the like and they they think to themselves, even if you like the policies that that that came about, what it ultimately did to the country. Questions about democracy,” Ross Sorkin began, setting the tone for his line of questioning.

Johnson skillfully dismissed those concerns saying, “Listen, I think when we’re voting for president, it can’t be about personalities. It’s got to be about policies and principles.”

“Under President Trump, we had a thriving economy. We didn’t have all these skirmishes around the world. We had relative peace because he projected peace through strength. We have exactly the opposite of all those things in President Biden. So I think you set aside those things and you look at what’s best for your family. You look at what is best for your security, your safety, the economy, your pocketbook, all of these things,” Johnson continued pivoting away from the question on Trump’s agenda.

The interview then turned to Trump’s belief that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him and how that belief fueled the Jan. 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Johnson argued that Trump “deep in his heart” believes he was cheated in the election, despite all evidence to the contrary, and that he takes Trump at “his word.”

Ross Sorkin followed up, asking, “Would you agree with the idea that I think there’s a lot of Americans that look at certain things that that he has said during his presidency, before his presidency now that are fundamentally not accurate.”

“And I say that politely, meaning that I mean, there have been things that he has said where right now, by the way, it’s sunny outside, but it’s like he’s saying it’s raining. And I think for a lot of Americans, they look at that and they say that’s very hard to trust,” Ross Sorkin concluded.

“Well, listen, there are a lot of people in Washington who’s saying things that are not accurate all the time. Everybody does. We’re all human,” Johnson replied, adding:

But I’ll say this about President Trump with regard to that to the election and what he believes about that, that is deep in his heart. I mean, I’ve talked to him personally about it. Many of us have. And over the years, you’ve heard him say repeated over and over the same refrain that he just felt like he was cheated in that election. And I think that’s a core conviction of his. And when I say we should take him at his word on that, he believes it.

I don’t know what comment you’re talking about in this article, but I know that he has been absolutely consistent from day one and he does believe in the rule of law. I mean, look at what he did on the U.S. Supreme Court, for example. He gave us great justices that are restoring the integrity of that institution, in my view. He had, we had, of course, many judges throughout the system that he appointed. And that’s the longest-lasting legacy of any president.

“Speaker, you’re talking about the rule of law. And he’s now been indicted, you know, on 40 different charges,” Ross Sorkin shot back, adding:

It’s, there’s such a juxtaposition behind the idea of rule of law and then things that he’s done that may very well have broken the law. And I recognize there are elements of it that may be political. I don’t I’m not going to dismiss that. But I’ll stipulate with you that there are elements that are probably true that are that are political, but not all of them.

“Listen, I think this is motivated by political prosecutions and we call it lawfare. That’s what it is. It’s just another way to go after a candidate,” Johnson replied, further arguing he believes Trump’s claim the government has been “weaponized” against him.

Watch the full clip above via CNBC.