House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Monday he told Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., that Democrats are "making things worse" by obsessing over President Donald Trump's social media criticism instead of working to reopen the government.
Trump shared a video last week generated by artificial intelligence featuring Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. A sombrero and mustache were superimposed on Jeffries as Latin-inspired music played in the background.
A day later, Trump mocked Jeffries with another AI video, in which Jeffries again was depicted wearing a sombrero and an exaggerated handlebar mustache to emphasize that the Democrats want free health care for illegal immigrants.
"I mean, look, I'm working on the policy," Johnson told MSNBC. "There's politics to this as well, right? And those are both components. Now we live in a social media age, and people use it. I think President Trump uses it as effectively as anybody ever has.
"And I told my friend Hakeem, who is my friend, I said, 'Man, don't pay attention to it. Don't respond to it because it makes it worse.' I learned that the hard way, a long time ago. ... The key is, for all of us, everybody on both sides, don't play into it."
Johnson echoed comments he made Thursday after a post on X by California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, that used AI to portray Johnson as a minion from the movie "Despicable Me."
"Many of you asked this morning about sombreros and memes and that Hakeem Jeffries is alarmed by that," Johnson told reporters. "These are sideshows. People are getting caught up in battles over social media memes.
"This is not a game. We have to keep the government open for the people. I don't know why this is so complicated.
"My friend Hakeem, just ignore it. Gavin Newsom was trolling me last night. He painted me like a minion. He painted me yellow with big glasses and overalls. I thought it was hilarious. You don't respond to it. For all my friends, don't respond to it. Get to work. Do the people's business and let's get on with it."
When asked about the video, Jeffries told reporters at a news conference last week that it's "deeply unserious," according to The Hill.
"Mr. President, the next time you have something to say about me, don't cop out through a racist and fake AI video," Jeffries said. "When I'm back in the Oval Office, say it to my face."
The Senate on Monday was expected to vote on a House-backed stopgap funding measure for a fifth time.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.