Rep. Madeleine Dean is a 66-year-old Democrat who represents Pennsylvania’s 4th Congressional District. This week, Rep. Dean cornered the Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, and she tried to encourage him to speak out about Donald Trump’s demented and dangerous behavior. Dean cornered Johnson in the corridor, in full view of several journalists who recorded their encounter:
MADELEINE DEAN: The president is unhinged. He is unwell.
MIKE JOHNSON: A lot of folks on your side are too
DEAN: Oh my god, please. That performance in front of the generals?
MIKE JOHNSON: I didn't see it
DEAN: It's so dangerous! Our allies are looking elsewhere. Our enemies… pic.twitter.com/WNvZRo638S
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2025
This was shown on MSNBC last night and the exchange has gone viral on social media. You can see that Speaker Johnson seemingly agrees with Dean’s assessment that Trump is “unwell.” She says: “The president is unhinged. He is unwell.” Johnson: “A lot of folks on your side are too, I don’t control him…” TOO!!! Dean also referenced Pete Hegseth and Trump’s pep rally with the generals, saying: “Oh my god, please. That performance in front of the generals?… It’s so dangerous! You know I serve on Foreign Affairs and Appropriations, it’s a collision of those two things. Our allies are looking elsewhere. Our enemies are laughing. You have a president who is unwell.”
Props to Rep. Dean. Props to the Democrats getting in Republicans’ faces over this. The voters ensured that the Democrats have little to no power or authority, but maybe shaming Republicans to their ugly fascist faces will work. (Spoiler: it will not work, but it’s still interesting to see Johnson basically acknowledge that Dementia Don is unhinged and unwell.)
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- United States Representative Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) formally announces his win as the GOP nominee for Speaker of the House in the Longworth House Office Building on Tuesday, October 24, 2023. Johnson was the second nominee of the day, with Majority Whip United States Representative Tom Emmer (Republican of Minnesota) dropping out just hours after his win. The party first nominated United States House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (Republican of Louisiana), who dropped out shortly after winning the nomination due to lack of support. United States Representative Jim Jordan (Republican of Ohio) won the second nomination, however, was unable to get 217 votes on the House Floor after multiple rounds of voting. Kevin McCarthy (Republican of California) was recently ousted from the Speakership. Featuring: United States Representative Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 24 Oct 2023 Credit: CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- United States Representative Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) formally announces his win as the GOP nominee for Speaker of the House in the Longworth House Office Building on Tuesday, October 24, 2023. Johnson was the second nominee of the day, with Majority Whip United States Representative Tom Emmer (Republican of Minnesota) dropping out just hours after his win. The party first nominated United States House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (Republican of Louisiana), who dropped out shortly after winning the nomination due to lack of support. United States Representative Jim Jordan (Republican of Ohio) won the second nomination, however, was unable to get 217 votes on the House Floor after multiple rounds of voting. Kevin McCarthy (Republican of California) was recently ousted from the Speakership. Featuring: United States Representative Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 24 Oct 2023 Credit: CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- United States Representative Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) gives a press conference following being elected Speaker of the House on the House Steps in the Capitol on Wednesday, October 25, 2023. The party first nominated United States House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (Republican of Louisiana), who dropped out shortly after winning the nomination due to lack of support. United States Representative Jim Jordan (Republican of Ohio) won the second nomination, however, was unable to get 217 votes on the House Floor after multiple rounds of voting. Majority Whip United States Representative Tom Emmer (Republican of Minnesota) was the third nominee, but dropped out just hours after he was elected. Kevin McCarthy (Republican of California) was recently ousted from the Speakership. Featuring: United States Representative Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 25 Oct 2023 Credit: Annabelle Gordon/CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- Former US President Donald J Trump makes an early appearance on the first night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the Fiserv Forum This is Trump’s first appearance since a rally in Pennsylvania, where he sustained injuries from an alleged bullet grazing his ear. Trump also named United States Senator JD Vance (Republican of Ohio) as his Vice Presidential running mate. Featuring: former US President Donald J Trump, United States Senator J.D. Vance (Republican of Ohio), Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) Where: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States When: 15 Jul 2024 Credit: CNP/INSTARimages
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- Former US President Donald J Trump shakes hands with Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) on the first night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at the Fiserv Forum This is Trump’s first appearance since a rally in Pennsylvania, where he sustained injuries from an alleged bullet grazing his ear. Trump also named United States Senator JD Vance (Republican of Ohio) as his Vice Presidential running mate. Featuring: former US President Donald J Trump, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson (Republican of Louisiana) Where: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States When: 15 Jul 2024 Credit: CNP/INSTARimages
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- U.S. Vice President JD Vance shakes hands with Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) as they arrive for President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025 in Washington, DC. President Trump was expected to address Congress on his early achievements of his presidency and his upcoming legislative agenda. Featuring: JD Vance, Mike Johnson Where: Washington, United States When: 04 Mar 2025 Credit: POOL via CNP/INSTARimages.com
Unfortunately, Rep Dean is partially wrong. WE have a president who is unhinged and unwell. I wish it was just the MAGAts who would suffer the consequences of electing this clown and all his wingnuts, but it affects us all. Not even the 25th amendment or death will save us for the next 3 years because of Vance.
This is why I can’t sign on to Gov. Pritzker’s suggestion that we should apply the 25th amendment to Trump. What exactly do we gain with a Vance presidency? A younger, more coherent fascist? No thanks! Everyone is trying to find a way out of this nightmare that won’t make it even worse. And no one has found that way out yet.
Exactly. If we remove Trump, everyone else remains. Hegseth. RFK the lesser. Et cetera. It doesn’t fix the problem.
Ah, but Vance and Miller are probably already running most things. What is Trump, in his current slug-instar, but a demented old figurehead. He is the figure around whom the cult rallies. If he is no longer in office, the movement changes. That does not mean it’s done, but it gives us a chance.
And that chance really begins with an alternative media outlet/s we can begin to coalesce around and weaken the hold of legacy media with.
Vance is a coward who can be tempered and controlled by Congress. Not that I think Congress is that much better than Trump, but at least they wouldn’t be passing laws to accommodate his crazy idea.
@Betsy: yes, I think Stephen Miller is mostly running the show anyway. Trump is just the front man at this point. Apparently, they think they still need him to keep the cult in line. The 25th amendment wouldn’t get to the root of our problems.
I agree that Miller has probably been running the show — but I’ve no reason to believe that Vance (aka VP Maybelline) is a fan of Miller’s rather than a rival. If Vance were to become the president, I think he’d be much more invested in his public persona as president, and might kick Miller to the curb. I also think that Miller is behind the more white supremacist priorities of the administration— which aren’t necessarily Vance’s priorities. Vance is deeply awful, but much of his power and support are derived from Trump. Vance lacks Trump’s inexplicable charisma and connections with the MAGA base.
At this point, given the multiple awful options, I’d say: dump Trump. I’d hope that Vance would dump Miller. At least some of the Trump supporters would fall by the wayside, and then we’d see what’s left with the very much not-ready-for-this Vance.
All of the options are awful, but this is the one I’d pick.
By installing Vance NOW, he becomes term limited. Donald isn’t going to last the entire term, but they’re trying to get Vance 2 full terms plus this one. THAT is why we need to push the 25th.
Military coup seems like the only way to get out of this unsustainable nightmare. After the generals publicly showed their disdain for these demented clowns I don’t know that it’s that far off. It would also be awful and sad.
Vance might dump Miller and getting Vance now would count as a full term. But, still, where would we end up? With effing JD Vance who is a less obvious psycho than Trump but still a psycho. A military coup seems like a possible solution but that usually involves suspension of civil rights which we might not get back. Ever. Juntas are not known for their liberalism and support for democracy. And we know most of the military voted for this. The initial reaction might be celebratory but in the long term it’s a terrible precedent in a country that values civilian leadership.
Vance is bought, paid for and completely indebted to nutjob Peter Thiel. Musk got the headlines but Thiel is a hugely sinister force operating in the shadows.
Yes. As bad as Trump is, we cannot afford to have Vance occupy the office under any circumstances
He will just say “out of context”. Frankly he’s lying about SO MANY THINGS that saying he didn’t see Trump’s speech is just another one to add to the pile.
That Nuremberg rally was everywhere. No way Johnson missed it unless he was in a coma.
He probably had read the speeches beforehand for crying out loud.
(although that doesn’t matter with Trump bc half the speech….was just him rambling.)
Even if it were true that he missed it (it’s not though), how is he leading the House if he is not staying up-to-date on what is going on??
I am SO sick of people like Mike Johnson, those in positions of power claiming they “didn’t see” or “didn’t hear” when Trump does something batshit crazy. MJ is the speaker of the house. It is his job to have seen it. Of course he saw it. I know this wasn’t a reporter talking to him this time, but why do they always let them get away with what is blatantly bullshit.
Someone on social media said that the Nazi enablers used to say they were just following orders. The Trump enablers say, “I didn’t see it.” 🫣
We need to continue to rise up. Waiting to be saved is not the answer.
the gop has no shame. They are corrupt, they answer to the donors who make them rich and use them as puppets. They have no compulsion about fully lying over and over.
Mike Johnson- you know he’s got to be a sick, sick criminal creep- that is his vibe.
[once again disappointed by the threat of a grindr exposure- with zero follow through]
Jeffries and Schumer have both been on tv stating their plan is to HOPE a few GOP members do the right thing.
They are idiots and should resign for that mentality.
I mean, feel free to pressure the soulless gop behind closed doors, it is said VP Lyndon Johnson did a lot of behind closed doors arm twisting to get the civil rights act passed- but the dems need a better plan than- we hope at least a few nazi members of congress experience shame and change their paid for votes.
Mike Johnson is a smarmy litle worm. He doesn’t care if Trump is unhinged.
So he’s admitting he’s not doing his job, living up to his oath. As one of the congressional leaders, isn’t he one of the key players in invoking the 25th amendment? Or has a duty to raise the issue with those that can?
But he doesn’t care. He’s has no interest in upholding democracy, or governing by, defending the Constitution. He’s all in, just like McConnell was years ago paving the way for exactly this scenario by obstructing President Obama’s ability to have confirmation hearings for SCOTUS nominees.
Personal power, wealth and advancement of a radical ideological agenda that is counter to the US Constitution – those are the gods Johnson worships. He doesn’t give a rat’s ass what damage, suffering, destruction of humanity he’s enabling and causing.
Good on Dean for confronting him.
I wonder if Johnson might be distracted by his possible upcoming grindr outing. He verbally leaks all the time, I can’t tell if it’s lies that he doesn’t think through or he’s as bad as the orange one at keeping the truth inside.
What is this about Grindr? Is someone threatening to out him as a Grindr user?
Yeah, someone was threatening to release his Grindr profile by Wednesday if he didn’t do something (I don’t recall what it was). Anyway it’s now Thursday and nothing has come of it, so think it was all just a scam.
@Louisa I read that Johnson’s lawyers threatened him. It might not have been a scam, it might have been someone noticed that it was extortion.
Though I still think people should just leak it if that’s the deal. I don’t have a lot of patience for hypocrites who is actively working to get the average LGBTQ person smashed to bits but who themselves gets protected.
A guy said he would leak Johnson’s Grindr info with ip addresses if the new NM dem wasn’t sworn in Wednesday to be the final signature on the discharge petition. I saw a follow up vid that he’s given the info to journalists to vet. I’m hoping it checks out and gets released, but I don’t know who he gave it to and how susceptible they are to pressure. If it’s real it needs to come out.
That dude was all hat, no cattle. Ace a big viral fuss then pussed out and said he gave the info to “trusted journalists “ in case anything happened to him. He was never going to reveal anything.
I don’t think that’s what he said. I think he said “people on your side are also unhinged,” not “a lot of people are on your side and agree with you that the president is unhinged.” So you know, just more lies.
If you listen to the video Johnson clearly says “A lot of folks on your side are too”. He may not have meant to acknowledge the truth of what she was saying but that’s what he did. Of course this is MAGA land where even words recorded on tape in front of witnesses are meaningless.
I’m smiling @ how Johnson’s reflexive GOP whataboutism tripped him up in this moment. I wonder what these guys say when they think the coast is clear. Remember the 2017 leaked recording in some House/Senate cloakroom:
“There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump… swear to God”
That was his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, yukking it up w/ (Speaker) Paul Ryan & some other clown in their circus.
I just can’t wrap my head around what the GOP’s endgame is here. Yes I know they want power and control and they want Dems out of power forever.
But what’s their endgame for the American people? That we’re all good little conservatives who fall in line with whatever they say? Gilead? A country with poor people dying in the streets because the hospitals are all closed while rich people eat caviar? And their supporters cheer them on.
I don’t even think they want to go back to the 1950s bc they dont want to tax rich people the way they were taxed back then.
I just see these people laughing and mocking Dems and acting like someone getting emergency care is the biggest crime to happen in the US and it just feels so defeating because I am not like that. Most Dems I know are not like that. How can you find middle ground and compromise when one side is okay with people dying from lack of medical care and the other side is like “hey lets make sure people can afford their healthcare premiums?” (and its not even like the healthcare premiums mean you have access to affordable or good care, its just better than nothing.)
But don’t mind me, shutdowns always get me really depressed. I’ll just be over here working and hoping I get paid eventually.
I’m sorry you’re on the front lines of this particular battle, @becks1. Such a heartless and cruel and stupid way to run a government!
As for endgame, I think there are so many factions in the GOP coalition, and each have their own endgame. You’ve got the end-timers who think they’re bringing about the rapture, the ultra-capitalists who want slave labor or as close to it as they can get, the tech weirdos who want their little tech fiefdoms…it’s all SO bizarre to me.
I read Cults Like Us recently, and although it was about the history of cults and cult-like thinking in America, it helped me contextualize some of the mentality of our current day Trump cult. It was a very funny and very disturbing book and easy to read if you’re looking for a distraction during the shutdown nonsense.
I’m so sorry you’re directly impacted by the shutdown. It’s awful and insulting and exhausting. It doesn’t have to be this way.
Whenever I think about their endgame, I get fairly freaky freaked out. Bc they’re kicking kids and people off healthcare plans. Possibly forcing soybean farmers to sell their land to big corporations…unless there is a bailout, which….sigh. So when you say, “A country with poor people dying in the streets because the hospitals are all closed while rich people eat caviar? And their supporters cheer them on,” I just think yeah that’s maybe what they want. Bc what else can it be?
MAGA Mike, like Keith Urban, has strange hair that never moves, never changes, gray streaks stay same size in same places. He needs a new rug.
Thank you for the heads up, Kaiser. I called one of her offices to thank her for standing up for America. I had seen Johnson’s quotes, but hadn’t seen *who* pigeonholed the little grooming freak (sorry, his sharing his porn with his son, even for “accountability” is one of the freakiest, most inappropriate things I have seen). I like to let the good people know we see them.
That man disgusts me. He is void of decency and I’m sure has done things that should land him in the penitentiary. A traitor to his country and to humanity.
He’s the average Republican. Traitors, all.
So he knows he’s a problem but doesn’t give a shit. They’re all about power and winning over everything else. The theocrats and tech bros and robber barons are aligned at the moment but one side wants a theocracy and one side wants work houses again and the other wants to crash everything..until they can convert us to bitcoin and profit? (Not entirely sure; the tech bros all seem high & in the middle of a midlife crisis).
I refuse to be afraid of Vance. Yes, he’s creepy, yes, he’s younger, yes, he’s a true believer (so is his wife), and he’s insane. But he was struggling in Ohio to get elected and Thiel had to bail him out. And since they seem to want to make him the smug face of the shutdown b/c the felon isn’t well enough? Or conscious? They don’t seem to like him either.
In the meantime, I’d suggest calling your R reps and tell them to make a deal w/ Dems. And tell your D reps thank you trying to protect healthcare.
I’m with you on Just Dance. I don’t doubt he would do awful things if he was fully empowered, but the instant the orange one is gone, all his political power is down the toilet too. He has no relationships in the senate, or with MAGA. He can’t command them, which is why the less crazy R’s are afraid of the current prez. No one is going to march anywhere and attack a building for this man, much less follow unlawful orders. He doesn’t fully commit to the r*cism bit, which is why tr*mp is so loved, and can’t even fake it because of what his wife and kids look like. If the unholy groups who put 47 in the White House could accomplish their goals without him, they would’ve because everyone with brains knows he is fickle and that he can’t be trusted.
It’s amazing how republicans are so busy doing…whatever it is they are doing… that they’ve ’not seen’ or ‘not read’ something so can’t possibly comment. Johnson is an absolute toady and creep who wouldn’t say boo to a goose, never mind stand up to trump. ‘Want my
danglies on a plate Mr President Sir? Pass the scalpel’.
Never mind carrying the president’s water, Johnson (as well as my 2 TX Sen Cornyn & Cruz) remind me of the palace servant who carries the king’s p!ss bucket in the Mel Brooks film “The History of the World, Part 1”
Exactly how they like him, in all honesty. They don’t care for him to actually govern. They know he can’t. They just need him to run his mouth and provide endless headlines so they gut and change as much as they want behind the scenes. He’s our nouveau Reagan, bigger and uglier than ever.
👍👍
Mike Johnson is the high school nerd who got picked on by the popular kids, so he makes a deal with the high school bully that he’ll do his dirty work for him in exchange for protection.
Vance changed his stripes once, he can change again. He doesn’t have the cult following that Trump does. Republican’s in House and Senate who won’t defy Trump, will ultimately turn on Vance. Trump needs to “cankle off” this mortal coil.
I have to agree with this statement. It’s also going to be hard for that cult to vote in someone whose family show any diversity.
I’ve seen dogs caught with socks in their mouth that looked less sneaky.
Y’all didn’t actually hear the video, did you? Johnson said “a lot of folks are on your side, too” meaning, a lot of folks are unhinged and unwell on the left. I knew this was too good to be true.