The comments came during a campaign stop in Syracuse, New York, during which the speaker was asked if Republicans would seek to overturn the bipartisan bill that has invested $54 billion into the semiconductor manufacturing industry. Johnson told reporters he “expect[s] we probably will” — a statement he quickly walked back amid backlash before Election Day. 

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“As I have further explained and clarified, I fully support Micron coming to Central NY, and the CHIPS Act is not on the agenda for repeal,” Johnson said in a statement. “To the contrary, there could be legislation to further streamline and improve the primary purpose of the bill—to eliminate its costly regulations and Green New Deal requirements.”

Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY), who was campaigning with the speaker at the time of the comments, said Johnson “misheard the question” and “profusely apologized” to the New York Republican in private shortly after the incident happened. 

“He clarified his comments on the spot and I trust local media to play his full comments on supporting repatriation of chips manufacturing to America,” Williams said in a statement. 

However, Democrats were quick to highlight the soundbite, releasing a statement shortly after accusing Johnson of planning to repeal CHIPS if Republicans maintain their slim majority. The Democratic National Committee also tied Johnson’s comments to Trump’s podcast interview with Joe Rogan last week, during which the former president railed on the CHIPS Act as being “so bad.” 

“He’s now admitting that a Republican-controlled Congress under Donald Trump and J.D. Vance would repeal billions in funding delivered by the Biden-Harris administration that is fueling jobs and innovation across the country,” DNC rapid response director Alex Floyd said in a statement. “Trump and MAGA Republicans’ closing argument attacking their fellow Americans while running on a dangerous, unpopular agenda makes clear our country can’t risk a second Trump term.”

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Johnson’s clarification on the CHIPS Act comes after the speaker similarly came under fire when he pledged to seek “massive reform” of Obamacare if Trump retakes the White House and Republicans keep their House majority. Democrats quickly seized on those comments, accusing the speaker of wanting to fully repeal Obamacare. 

Johnson later pushed back on that criticism, accusing Democrats of taking his words out of context when he actually meant “the opposite of that.”