Despite having little more than a week to avert a government shutdown, House Speaker Mike Johnson seems to have sent representatives home early so he could catch a flight to Paris to attend a far-right conference.
Congress has just eight days to figure out how to fund the government and avoid a crippling shutdown. To say that Republican priorities have been elsewhere would be a massive understatement. Johnson has yet to reveal the details of his supposed plan to prevent a shutdown, but he is set to speak Saturday in Paris.
Johnson’s early dismissal on Thursday may have been because he needed to rush across the Atlantic Ocean to appear at the Worldwide Freedom Initiative. The inaugural conference was organized by the groups Republicans Overseas Worldwide and Republicans Overseas France, with the goal of bringing together “the world’s like-minded conservative, patriotic and center right leaders.”
It seems that Johnson is a bit of a special guest for the WFI. He gave the keynote speech at the group’s launch event on July 4.
Other speakers at the Paris conference include South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, a staunch ally of Donald Trump, and former Trump aide Corey Lewandowski. Noem and Lewandowski have reportedly been having a years-long affair, despite Noem still being married to her husband of more than 30 years, Bryon Noem.
The WFI lineup also includes a former spokeswoman for Moms for Liberty, former U.S. representative and current Truth Social CEO Devin Nunes, chief Brexit engineer Nigel Farage, and Hungarian politician Balázs Orbán. Orbán is not related to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, but he does serve as the latter’s political director.
French far-right politician Marine Le Pen was initially slated to speak, but she appears to have dropped out. But the program does feature French far-right candidate Eric Zemmour, who is known for his xenophobia, Islamophobia, homophobia, and hatred of the media.
Johnson has promised to deliver “results” and pass appropriations bills. But apparently, that takes a backseat to a speaking gig in the City of Lights.
