House Speaker Mike Johnson tells British Parliament he came to ‘calm the waters’

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson addressed Britain’s Parliament on Tuesday, telling them that he had come to “calm the waters,” as tensions between Washington and its European allies have intensified in recent weeks over President Donald Trump’s push to acquire Greenland.

Johnson’s address — the first ever delivered by a sitting U.S. House speaker to the British Parliament — came on the eve of the United States’ 250th anniversary and against a backdrop of strain in transatlantic relations, including Trump’s sharp criticism of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer hours earlier over a deal involving the Chagos Islands.

“I spoke to President Trump at length yesterday, and I told him that I really felt that my mission here today was to encourage our friends and help to calm the waters, so to speak,” Johnson said. 

Johnson emphasized that despite current disagreements, the U.S. and UK remain bound by a durable alliance built on shared history, values and security interests.

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“We’ve always been able to work through our differences calmly as friends. We will continue to do that,” he said. “I want to assure you this morning that that is still the case.”

The speaker said his visit had taken on new urgency as geopolitical tensions escalated in recent days. He described his role as reinforcing stability among allies while signaling resolve to adversaries.

Johnson tied his remarks to the approaching 250th anniversary of American independence, framing the milestone not simply as a celebration, but as a moment of reflection and recommitment — particularly as Western nations confront external threats and internal divisions.

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He warned that U.S. adversaries are increasingly challenging Western democracies through “increasingly sophisticated forms of subversion.” 

“We see China, Russia and Iran grow more aggressive and emboldened as they intensify their efforts to exert economic, political, and military influence around the world,” Johnson said. “We see a callous disregard for basic human rights, new provocations, and even the theft of intellectual property on a scale like we have never seen before.”

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Johnson said Trump is focused on those threats, particularly in strategically sensitive regions such as the Arctic.

“Clearly, President Trump is taking seriously the modern and dynamic threats that China and Russia pose to our global security, and especially and in focus the last few days as it relates to the Arctic,” he said.

While acknowledging room for debate among allies, Johnson stressed that the dangers posed by rival powers must be confronted collectively.

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“While we can have thoughtful debate among our friends about how best to counter these threats, we all certainly agree they must be countered,” he said.

Speaker Johnson praised Britain and other allies for recent cooperation, including enforcement of sanctions. He clarified that Trump’s “America First” agenda does not mean “America alone.” 

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He praised NATO members for increasing defense spending and highlighted cooperation through alliances such as AUKUS, calling them evidence that national interests and collective security can coexist.

“Whether it’s NATO’s nations historic commitment to raise their investment in defense… or the AUKUS alliance deepening its cooperation in submarines and undersea defense, our partnership is proving that nations can prioritize their individual interests responsibly,” he said.

Johnson invoked the shared heritage of the U.S. and UK, warning that military strength and economic power are meaningless without confidence in a shared set of values.

“Strong and lethal militaries matter,” he said. “Robust and thriving economies matter, but they mean little if we forget what we’re fighting for.”