The new speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, is promising that the chamber will pass an aid package for Israel by the end of this coming week as the Jewish state faces an existential threat from Hamas. In a speech delivered late Saturday night, he warned that rising antisemitism in America, especially on college campuses, is the result of young people losing sight of fundamental truths. 

The 56th House speaker appeared at the Republican Jewish Coalition’s annual leadership summit at Las Vegas on Saturday in his first public appearance since winning his position. He noted that the first vote he held on the House floor as speaker was the passage of a resolution that affirmed the chamber’s support for Israel and its duty to defend itself from Hamas. 

“It’s not an accident that the first resolution was for Israel and that my first trip was to come and be with you,” he said. “I want people to know where we stand.” He promised that “House Republicans will work swiftly to pass legislation to provide Israel much-needed resources in its fight against these barbaric terrorists,” setting the deadline to pass the aid package for Friday.

Mr. Johnson used his speech as an opportunity to describe not only the threat Israel faces in Hamas, but the larger axis of threats the western world faces in Hamas’ patrons and allies. “Even as Israel is so viciously and unjustly attacked, we see our enemies around the globe being emboldened — Russia and China and Iran, of course, being the cause of so much of this,” he said. 

In his role as a legislator, the speaker promised to confront domestic challenges that he sees as equally threatening as those foreign adversaries. “Our national debt has soared to $33.6 trillion, our southern border is overrun, violent crime is rampant throughout the country, the rising cost of living is crushing hardworking families, powerful federal agencies have been weaponized against the very people they were designed to protect and serve, and those people are losing their faith in government overall,” he said. 

The problem is cultural, he argues. American institutions — from elected officials to academic administrators — have allowed antisemitism to fester. “Our universities — which used to be a bastion for free expression and debate — have become havens for antisemitism,” Mr. Johnson said. “As was pointed out here tonight, some of these young people have no idea what they are talking about. … The world’s oldest prejudice has become mainstream now thanks to academia and the mainstream media and fringe government figures.”

Mr. Johnson also took aim at the United Nations and its secretary general, who last week said that Israel is, in part, to blame for the horrifying Hamas attack that began on October 7. “This message is to the UN: there will be a ceasefire only when Hamas ceases to be a threat to Israel,” he said, eliciting cheers from the audience. 

Mr. Johnson shared the RJC stage with a few of his congressional colleagues, including Congressman Max Miller, one of the only two Jewish GOP House members. The majority leader, Congressman Steve Scalise, also appeared to announce that the aid package would be completed in the coming days. 

Before Mr. Johnson appeared, most of the GOP presidential contenders gave speeches to sell themselves as Israel’s ideal commander-in-chief. President Trump spoke to the crowd to tout his record as the man who moved the American embassy to Jerusalem, negotiated the Abraham Accords, recognized the Golan Heights as Israeli territory, and pulled America out of the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement. 

Governors Burgum and Christie, Senator Scott, Ambassador Haley, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy also made appearances. Vice President Pence addressed the crowd hours before Mr. Johnson’s speech to announce he would be suspending his campaign.