Speaker Johnson says Russian threat known to Congress for ‘weeks’

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Thursday said Congress has been aware for “weeks” of the threat of Russia developing an anti-satellite weapon and that a response from the U.S. should be immediate, following a classified briefing with President Biden’s senior national security advisers.  

Johnson said he was first informed in January that Russia was developing an anti-satellite capability — a threat that was thrust into the news this week by a public warning issued by House Intelligence Chair Mike Turner (R-Ohio).

“This is a matter that we’ve known about for a few weeks. We requested a meeting with the president. I did, we did in writing in January,” Johnson told reporters Thursday evening after coming out of a classified briefing. 

The letter was sent January 31, his office said. 

The lawmakers were briefed Thursday evening at the Capitol by national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and a representative from the Pentagon, the lawmakers said.

Johnson stood alongside Turner and Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.), ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, after the briefing and expressed confidence the Biden administration has a plan to confront the Russian threat.

“The United States can’t rely on other nations to handle matters like this. We must do it ourselves, and we will,” Johnson said.

Turner described the threat as a “Russian anti-satellite weapon” and added he is supporting the administration’s response. 

“We all came away with a very strong impression that the administration is taking this very seriously and that the administration has a plan in place,” he said.

“We look forward to supporting them as they go to implement it. I think the Department of Defense today has indicated that what we’re discussing is a Russian anti-satellite weapon.”

Turner issued a cryptic statement Wednesday calling on Biden to declassify information about a “serious national security threat” to allow for public discussions about how the U.S. should respond. Members of his party have said he acted with “reckless disregard.”

The tone of unity from the lawmakers and confidence in the administration marked a departure from tensions with the White House immediately after Turner publicized his concern.

White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said Thursday the administration was assessing whether any intelligence sources and methods had been compromised with Turner’s announcement, or if it had hurt the U.S.’s ability to make contact with the Russians to directly raise concerns on the threat.