Hours before a possible government shutdown, Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania cornered House Speaker Mike Johnson just steps off the floor of the House. She wasn’t holding back.
Dean pressed Johnson not only on the looming funding crisis but also, as reported by CNN, on Donald Trump’s decision to post a fake, AI-generated video mocking House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
The video, which ran on Trump’s Truth Social platform, showed Jeffries wearing a sombrero and a mustache while Schumer’s voice was altered to push for free health care for undocumented immigrants. Mariachi music played in the background, and the fake Schumer voice declared, “There’s no way to sugar coat it: Nobody likes Democrats anymore.”
Dean, visibly frustrated, told Johnson, “Not your style? It’s disgraceful. It’s racist. You should call it out.” Johnson had just brushed off the matter by saying, “It wasn’t my style.”
According to witnesses, the Pennsylvania Democrat raised her hands and demanded the speaker acknowledge the obvious. “Is it racist? You put a sombrero on a Black man who’s the leader of the House. You don’t see that as racist? We need you desperately to lead.”
Johnson, avoiding further argument, turned to leave and offered: “I’m working on it. And personally, it’s not my style. I love you and I respect you, OK?” Dean shot back, “That’s why I’m talking to you.”
Later, in an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on The Source, Johnson defended his stance. “I’m the speaker of the House, so I represent Republicans and Democrats in that capacity and I always hear complaints and concerns from members… I respect her as an individual, we disagree on every policy matter.”
He claimed he told Dean he “disagreed with her perspective on it,” insisting that the “real issue” was funding the government, not a “social media post.”
But Dean wasn’t buying it. She told CNN she was disappointed Johnson had sent members home while a shutdown was hours away, saying, “In effect, he is one of the leaders in shutting the government down.” Johnson rejected that view.
Dean also recounted how Johnson asked her if the video was really racist. Her reply: “It’s really racist, it’s despicable, and he should have called it out.”
New — Just saw Dem Rep. Madeleine Dean confront Speaker Johnson off House floor over CR, health care, recessing chamber, Trump’s speech.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) September 30, 2025
And on Trump’s AI video, Johnson says “it wasn't my style."
Dean: “Not your style? It's disgraceful. It's racist. You should call it out.” pic.twitter.com/Ykw8Mx2r6y
It’s not the first time she has gone toe-to-toe with Johnson. The two served together on the House Judiciary Committee, and Dean previously confronted him after Sen. Alex Padilla was dragged out of a Trump administration press conference.
This week’s clash also touched on Johnson’s stopgap funding plan, which Democrats are not expected to support. “If you want Democratic votes, you have to put something in the bills that we actually believe in,” Dean said. “We’re not going to be complicit on further cuts to Medicaid, to SNAP, to cancer research, pediatric cancer research, Alzheimer’s, nutrition for seniors, for children, for families.”
Her bottom line: if Republicans want to push their budget priorities, they’ll have to do it without Democrats’ help.
