Mike Johnson on Marines in city streets: 'I don't think that's heavy-handed'

House Speaker Mike Johnson insisted that sending Marines into the streets of American cities would not be a "heavy-handed" move by President Donald Trump.

Johnson spoke to ABC's Jonathan Karl on Sunday after anti-ICE protests broke out in Los Angeles.

"Do you have any problem or any concerns about the president sending in the National Guard to a place where local authorities say that they're not needed and could be harmful?" Karl asked.

"I have no concern about that at all," Johnson insisted. "I think the president did exactly what he needed to do."

"Secretary [Pete] Hegseth said that active duty Marines there at Camp Pendleton, there by San Diego, are on high alert and could be mobilized," Karl noted. "Could we really see active duty Marines on the streets of Los Angeles?"

"You know, one of our core principles is maintaining peace through strength," Johnson opined. "We do that on foreign affairs and domestic affairs as well. I don't think that's heavy-handed."

"You don't think sending the Marines into the streets of an American city is heavy-handed?" Karl exclaimed.

"We have to be prepared to do what is necessary, and I think the notice that that might happen might have the deterring effect," Johnson said.

Watch the video below from ABC or at the link.