Johnson made the remarks Monday, November 9, while speaking with reporters on Capitol Hill. Asked by CNN correspondent Manu Raju whether Trump should change course following the Republican Party’s election defeats, Johnson refused to suggest the president needed to reconsider his approach.
“I’m not going to tell the president how to do his job,” Johnson said. “We have an incredible record of the first two years of his term, and I expect more success in the days ahead.”
He then turned his criticism toward voters.
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“I’m sorry that the voters made the wrong choice,” Johnson said, predicting that the next two years under Democratic control would be “a bit of a circus” and filled with “chaos.”
Johnson also described the loss of the Republican House majority as a “great tragedy,” arguing that Republicans would have continued delivering for Americans if they had retained control.
His comments came after Democrats secured majorities in both the House and Senate, ending Republican control of Congress for the final two years of Trump’s current term.
Democrats have secured at least 252 seats in the House and at least 54 seats in the Senate, giving the party control of both chambers heading into 2027.
The results leave Republicans facing a major shift in Washington, with Democrats preparing to take control of congressional committees and gain greater authority over legislation, investigations and government oversight.
Johnson’s remarks also came as Republicans began confronting questions about what went wrong during the election. Rather than calling for changes to the administration’s approach, Johnson stood by Trump’s record and declined to publicly urge the president to change direction.
The comments reflect an immediate challenge facing Republican leadership: how to respond to voters’ rejection of the party’s congressional majority while maintaining support for Trump’s agenda.
Johnson has indicated that he does not intend to pursue the House minority leader position in the next Congress. Republicans are preparing to select new leadership as they transition from controlling the chamber to serving in the minority.
Meanwhile, Democrats are preparing to use their incoming majorities to pursue investigations and challenge Trump administration policies. That includes renewed efforts to hold administration officials accountable for decisions involving the Iran conflict and other federal matters.
For millions of Americans, the change in congressional control will determine which party sets the legislative agenda, oversees federal agencies and decides which issues receive hearings and investigations.
Johnson may believe voters made the wrong choice, but the election results give Democrats the opportunity to demonstrate what they intend to do with the power voters handed them.
