House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) vigorously defended the Donald Trump’s unhinged AI-generated video depicting himself as a king flying a jet and dumping feces on protestors in New York City.

While the video has left many to question the president’s sanity and express worry for the state of our country, Johnson praised the president as “the most effective person who has ever used social media” to “make a point.”

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“He is using satire to make a point. He is not calling for the murder of his political opponents, and that’s what these people are doing,” Johnson said, referring to an individual photo of a protest sign calling for the president’s death.

“Look, America is built on the idea of free speech. You have the right to protest, of course, we jealously guard that,” Johnson said, adding, “But what they’re doing right now is different. They’re trying to incite violence. That’s not funny.”

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The No Kings protests on Saturday were largely peaceful, and regardless, Johnson failed to explain why the feces video was “the most effective” response to the millions of people protesting the administration. Trump, in fact, did seem to find the whole thing funny, or he may have posted a much more serious response.

Johnson concluded by claiming, “You don’t mock a president who has already had two failed assassination attempts on his life. This is not a game.”

The right to free speech – which includes the critical right to criticize and protest one’s leaders – is not limited after an assassination attempt.

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