Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is too busy to keep up with all of President Donald Trump’s wheeling and dealing, according to him.
When CNN’s Jake Tapper asked about the shady optics of a Thursday night gala for top investors in the $TRUMP meme coin, the speaker acted oblivious.
“I really have a difficult time imagining that if this was a Democratic president doing the exact same thing, you wouldn’t be outraged,” the “State of the Union” host said Sunday of the high-profile event at Trump’s private golf club in Sterling, Virginia.
“Look, I don’t know anything about the dinner,” the Louisiana Republican replied, adding he was a “little busy” getting his party’s “big, beautiful” reconciliation bill to pass the House.
“I’m not going to comment on something I haven’t even heard about. I’m not sure who was there or what the purpose was,” he said of the gala, whose guests reportedly included 220 crypto influencers, blockchain business execs and minor celebrities who had collectively shelled out $148 million to get their invites.
Johnson appears to be making a habit of feigning ignorance when it comes to Trump’s ethically dubious deals.
He had a similar excuse when asked about a $400 million Boeing 747 the Qatari government gifted to the U.S. earlier this month, telling the press, “Look, I’ve been a little busy on reconciliation, I’m not following all the twists and turns of the Qatar jet.”
Though many have wondered if Qatar was trying to buy influence with the plush present, Trump said that it would be “stupid” to reject the jetliner. His administration maintained that everything about the very, very generous donation was above board.
As for the president’s crypto gala, it’s unclear if the event actually ended up to be worth much for either side.
Following the dinner, right-wing social media personality Nicholas Pinto told CNBC that only a small group of investors actually got face time with the commander-in-chief.
The morning after the black-tie affair, the price of $TRUMP sank 16%.