MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” host Joe Scarborough nearly uttered an expletive on live television early Friday, November 21, 2025, as he criticized House Speaker Mike Johnson for supporting President Donald Trump’s controversial social media remarks about Democratic lawmakers.
The incident unfolded after Scarborough watched clips of Johnson and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt addressing Trump’s Truth Social posts, which implied that six Democratic members of Congress could face execution for what Trump described as “seditious behavior.” The lawmakers, who are veterans of the military or intelligence community, had released a video urging service members to reject illegal orders.
Scarborough initiated his critique by saying, “These people are lying through their f—” before stopping himself and correcting to “These people are lying through their teeth.” His co-host and wife, Mika Brzezinski, intervened with nervous laughter, noting, “He didn’t say it! It was only half.”
The controversy originated from a video released Tuesday featuring Senators Mark Kelly and Elissa Slotkin, along with Representatives Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander, and Chrissy Houlahan, which reminded service members of their constitutional duty to refuse illegal orders from their commanders.
Trump reacted with multiple posts on Truth Social, one of which claimed the lawmakers’ actions amounted to “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!” He also reshared content from a Truth Social user that included “HANG THEM GEORGE WASHINGTON WOULD!”
When reporters questioned Trump’s threatening rhetoric, Johnson offered a lenient view of it. The House speaker argued that Trump was merely “defining the crime of sedition,” presenting it as a factual statement. Johnson then criticized the Democratic lawmakers, calling their video “wildly inappropriate” and accusing them of advocating for troops to generally disobey orders rather than specifically illegal ones.
This interpretation angered Scarborough, who accused Johnson and other Trump supporters of engaging in what he termed Orwellian doublespeak. The MSNBC host argued that Johnson intentionally distorted the Democrats’ message, which explicitly focused on illegal orders rather than lawful commands.
“Mike Johnson knows that this is all about what military men and women need to do to uphold their sacred oath, and that is not to commit illegal actions,” Scarborough stated during the broadcast. He continued to criticize what he saw as intentional misrepresentation by Republican officials and conservative media outlets.
Leavitt, at a White House press briefing, denied that Trump sought the execution of members of Congress. However, she maintained that the Democratic lawmakers’ video could incite chaos or violence and suggested their actions might be legally punishable.
“Morning Joe” co-host Jonathan Lemire drew comparisons to past Trump controversies, noting a similar pattern of provocative statements designed to divert attention from negative news cycles.
Scarborough concurred, suggesting Trump deliberately created the controversy to shift focus away from his poll numbers and other unfavorable stories. He expressed frustration that the distraction tactic was effective, noting that media coverage had shifted away from other issues.
Co-host Willie Geist noted that Trump knew his supporters would instinctively defend any of his statements, whether on television, podcasts, or in congressional chambers. This reliable support, Geist suggested, allowed the president to make increasingly provocative remarks without political repercussions within his base.
Before restraining himself on the expletive, Scarborough had mocked Johnson’s response with an exaggerated accent, joking about the speaker needing a fainting couch to complement his pearl-clutching reaction to the Democrats’ video. After the near-slip, Brzezinski humorously insisted he had only said half the word.
Representative Chrissy Houlahan later criticized Johnson’s response as “mealymouthed,” expressing disappointment in the speaker’s leadership and his characterization of the Democratic veterans’ message. The congresswoman emphasized that the video explicitly addressed illegal orders, not lawful commands from military superiors.
This incident underscores ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and Democratic lawmakers over the appropriate use of military force domestically and the limits of presidential authority. Military service members take an oath to support and defend the Constitution, which includes provisions requiring them to refuse orders that violate federal law.