House Speaker Mike Johnson has claimed the United States is locked in a "battle" against Marxism, telling Christian leaders that Democratic Socialists' recent primary wins reflect the ideology's growing influence. He argued that America's founding principles are rooted in a belief in God, and that removing this from the nation's identity opens the door to Marxism, socialism and the erosion of individual freedom. His remarks form part of a broader push by senior Republicans to frame the political rise of left-wing candidates as a threat to the country's constitutional foundations.

Johnson made the comments on Friday in remarks described as exclusive to Fox News, linking the electoral success of self-described democratic socialists to a wider ideological struggle over America's identity. The speech ties into a pattern of similar warnings from other Republican figures about the direction of the Democratic Party, amid high-profile socialist-aligned primary victories, such as that of New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani. Johnson called for a renewed national focus on the country's founding principles as a bulwark against these trends.