House Speaker Johnson Warns of Chinese, Russian Security Threats in UK Parliament Address

Johnson said that the West faces ‘increasingly sophisticated forms of subversion and espionage’ from hostile powers.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) speaks to the media as he arrives for a bicameral congressional leadership briefing with administration officials at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 5, 2026. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Jan. 20 told the UK Parliament in London that the United States is focused on countering security threats from China and Russia, especially in strategic areas such as the Arctic.

Johnson delivered his remarks during a visit to England’s capital to mark the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, becoming the first U.S. House speaker to address Parliament.

His visit to London came amid growing geopolitical tensions over the U.S. bid to acquire Greenland for national security reasons.

In his address, Johnson said he spoke to U.S. President Donald Trump at length the day before and told the president that his mission in the UK was to help “calm the waters.”

“Let us look to agreement, continue our dialogue, and find a resolution just as we always have in the past,” Johnson said.

He also said that he was confident in the “special relationship” between the two nations.

Johnson warned that the West faces “increasingly sophisticated forms of subversion and espionage” from hostile powers, naming China, Russia, and Iran as examples.

The three nations, he said, are becoming “more aggressive and emboldened” in their efforts to exert economic, political, and military influence around the world, and he cited their human rights violations and provocative actions.

“Clearly, President Trump is taking seriously the modern and dynamic threats that China and Russia pose to our global security, especially and in focus the last few days as it relates to the Arctic,” Johnson said.

“And while we can have thoughtful debate among our friends about how best to counter these threats, we all certainly agree they must be countered. We ignore these threats at our peril.”

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer shake hands during a press conference at Chequers near Aylesbury, England, on Sept. 18, 2025. Leon Neal/AP

Geopolitical tensions regarding Greenland have ramped up in recent weeks, as Trump said he would increase tariffs on the eight most vocal NATO members opposing U.S. acquisition of the Arctic island—Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, and Finland—until a deal is reached “for the complete and total purchase of Greenland.”

Trump has said the United States must acquire Greenland for national security and to prevent Russia or China from gaining a foothold in the autonomous Danish territory.

“China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it,” he said in a Jan. 18 post on Truth Social.

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Jan. 19 that any decision on the future of Greenland “belongs to the people of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark alone” and that the UK will support it.

Starmer said that employing tariffs is “not the right way to resolve differences within an alliance” and that Greenland’s security should not be used as a justification for economic pressure.

“A trade war is in no one’s interest, and my job is to act always in the UK’s national interest,” Starmer said.

He also said that he had spoken with Trump, European leaders, and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to seek a solution based on “partnership, facts, and mutual respect.”

The governments of both Denmark and Greenland have repeatedly said the island is not for sale and that its people, who are chiefly of Inuit descent, do not want to be part of the United States.

Rachel Roberts contributed to this report.