WASHINGTON (Diya TV) — House Speaker Mike Johnson is facing sharp criticism after dodging questions about President Donald Trump’s recent admission that he pardoned a crypto billionaire without knowing who he was. The moment has raised fresh questions about Johnson’s double standard after he accused President Joe Biden of similar behavior just last week. CNN’s Manu Raju pressed Johnson on Capitol Hill Monday, asking why he condemned Biden’s use of pardons while staying silent on Trump’s confession during his “60 Minutes” interview.
“Last week, you came here to these mics and you were very critical of Joe Biden’s use of the auto pen,” Raju said. “You said he didn’t even know who he was pardoning. But last night on 60 Minutes, President Trump admitted not knowing that he pardoned a crypto billionaire who pleaded guilty to money laundering. Does that also concern you?”
Johnson avoided answering directly. “I don’t know anything about that,” he said. “I didn’t see the interview. You have to ask the president about that. I’m not sure.” The exchange came days after Johnson accused Biden of being unaware of who he was pardoning, calling those acts “invalid on their face.”
During Sunday’s 60 Minutes interview, Trump was asked about his pardon of Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao. Zhao had pleaded guilty to federal money laundering charges tied to billions of dollars in illegal transactions.
“I don’t know who he is,” Trump told interviewer Norah O’Donnell.
Zhao’s company, Binance, admitted to allowing criminal organizations to move money connected to drug trafficking and child abuse. The case led to one of the largest corporate penalties in U.S. history.
Trump’s casual remark drew backlash from both political parties. Critics said it showed a lack of care in exercising one of the president’s most serious powers. Johnson’s silence on Trump contrasts sharply with his recent attacks on President Biden. Just last week, the speaker accused Biden of signing pardons without knowing their details. He said Biden’s alleged confusion made those pardons “invalid” and “dangerous.”
“It sounds like a terrible novel or something, but this is reality,” Johnson said at the time. “The pardons, for example, he pardoned categories of violent criminals and turned them loose on the streets, and he didn’t even know who.”
His comments followed a report from the Republican-led House Oversight Committee that accused Biden’s aides of hiding signs of “mental decline.” The report claimed Biden may have authorized pardons without being fully aware of them. But Trump’s remarks undercut Johnson’s message. Political observers say Johnson’s refusal to apply the same standard to Trump exposes a clear double standard within GOP leadership.
This is not the first time Johnson has sidestepped questions about Trump. Last month, when asked about a rambling speech Trump gave to military leaders, Johnson again said, “I didn’t see it.” Democratic Rep. Madeleine Dean confronted him over that response. “It’s so dangerous,” Dean said. “Our allies are looking elsewhere. Our enemies are laughing. You have an unwell president.”
Johnson repeated that he had not seen the comments, frustrating Democrats who accused him of shielding Trump from accountability. Johnson’s repeated evasions have fueled criticism from Democrats and independent analysts. They argue that he holds Biden to a stricter standard while defending Trump at every turn.
“Speaker Johnson has made clear that his concern isn’t about presidential awareness or integrity — it’s about protecting Trump,” said one Democratic aide. “You can’t call Biden unfit for signing pardons, then ignore Trump saying he didn’t know who he pardoned.”
Political experts say the controversy highlights growing divisions inside the Republican Party. Some GOP lawmakers have quietly expressed concern that Johnson’s loyalty to Trump may backfire ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. As the story spreads, Johnson faces growing pressure to clarify his stance. The White House has declined to comment on Johnson’s remarks, but Democratic lawmakers are using the issue to highlight what they see as Republican hypocrisy.
Trump, meanwhile, has not walked back his 60 Minutes comments. His campaign has defended the pardon as “a gesture of fairness” and accused the media of exaggerating his words.
