US House speaker vows to dismantle ‘deep state’
US House Speaker Mike Johnson has vowed to dismantle the “deep state” as part of sweeping reforms to be enacted in 2025, pledging to prioritize tax cuts, border security and deregulation.
In an appearance on Fox News, Johnson, who was re-elected as speaker of the House in November 2024, emphasized that Republicans are prepared to act quickly on their agenda in the new Congress.
“We’ve made a lot of campaign promises. And we’re going to be dismantling the deep state all along the way,” he said in the interview on the show Sunday Morning Futures.
Central to the Republican plan is the prevention of what Johnson described as the “largest tax increase in US history,” set to occur if the 2017 tax cuts are not extended by the end of the year.
He promised to revive the economy by extending those cuts, eliminating taxes on Social Security benefits and tips, and increasing the cap on state and local tax deductions. The legislative package also focuses on boosting US manufacturing and reducing federal regulations.
“We are going to incentivize American companies to manufacture in the US again, and we are going to make sure that the regulatory burden and the red tape that has smothered our free market is reduced and eliminated,” Johnson said on Sunday.
To pass these reforms, Johnson plans to use budget reconciliation, a legislative mechanism allowing bills to pass the Senate with a simple majority. He expects the package to be enacted within the first 100 days of the next Republican administration.
The agenda also includes strict immigration policies aimed at enhancing border security. Johnson has expressed support for completing the US-Mexico border wall and increasing enforcement measures.
Johnson’s re-election as speaker was widely viewed as a significant victory for conservatives. He has pledged to align closely with President-elect Donald Trump, who has similarly promised to dismantle the “deep state.”
The term often refers to entrenched federal employees and bureaucracies some conservatives believe obstruct Republican policies.
