House Speaker Mike Johnson calls for "patience" on economy: "You don't flip a switch...and it all just is fixed magically" [View all]

Source: CBS News

February 24, 2026 / 5:41 PM EST


Hours before President Trump's State of the Union address, House Speaker Mike Johnson told CBS News the U.S. economy is on the right track — but he added that inflation has not been "completely fixed yet."

In an interview Tuesday with "CBS Evening News," Johnson also argued "we shouldn't freak out" about the impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and urged the Iranian government to "follow common sense" as Mr. Trump weighs military action.

Johnson expects Mr. Trump to spend part of his speech Tuesday night touting his economic record, including "the exciting facts about what we've been able to accomplish."

In recent months, the president has celebrated the country's economic performance in his first year on the job, including a slowdown in inflation and a strong labor market. Recent polls show most voters aren't so optimistic. Just 37% of Americans feel that the state of the economy is good, and 60% feel that Mr. Trump makes prices and inflation sound better than they actually are, according to a CBS News survey released Tuesday.

Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-speaker-mike-johnson-calls-for-patience-on-economy/