House Speaker Mike Johnson warned Sunday that the growing influence of democratic socialist candidates within the Democratic Party represents a serious danger to the nation’s political system, echoing President Donald Trump’s recent Independence Day message urging Americans to reject the movement ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

During an appearance on Fox News Sunday with Shannon Bream, the Louisiana Republican said candidates aligned with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani are gaining momentum in Democratic primaries across the country and argued that voters should pay close attention to the trend.

Johnson characterized democratic socialism as “a serious threat to our whole system of government,” arguing that the movement represents a direct challenge to America’s longstanding political principles rather than simply another faction within the Democratic Party.

Drawing comparisons to the Cold War, Johnson invoked the warnings of President Ronald Reagan about communism, saying the threat is no longer coming from overseas but from within the United States.

“The barbarians are inside the gate,” Johnson said, contending that today’s Democratic Party has changed dramatically from previous generations. He also claimed that many Democratic lawmakers privately acknowledge they are struggling to match the enthusiasm, fundraising, and grassroots support fueling the party’s progressive wing.

Johnson’s comments came one day after President Donald Trump delivered a speech on the National Mall commemorating America’s 250th anniversary, during which he portrayed democratic socialism as a rebirth of communism and called for an aggressive response.

In that address, which began nearly two hours late after severe storms forced the temporary evacuation of attendees, Trump likened democratic socialism to a cancer that must be removed.

The renewed attacks on the movement follow a series of primary victories by progressive candidates that have reshaped New York’s political landscape and intensified pressure on the Democratic establishment.

Mamdani, who became New York City’s first democratic socialist mayor in January, saw all three of his endorsed candidates prevail in the June 23 Democratic primaries, defeating incumbent Representatives Adriano Espaillat and Dan Goldman.

Democratic leaders have responded with varying degrees of concern. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who supported the defeated incumbents, urged fellow Democrats after the primaries to shift their attention to the general election.

Speaking to MSNBC, Jeffries said, “the enemy is Donald Trump and MAGA extremism.”

The democratic socialist movement continues to expand beyond New York, with candidates backed by the Democratic Socialists of America also competing in prominent races in Colorado, Michigan, and Wisconsin. The movement traces much of its modern political momentum to the presidential campaigns of Sen. Bernie Sanders in 2016 and 2020.

{Matzav.com}