Republican House speaker Mike Johnson said he is shutting down House operations early this week, sending lawmakers home today ahead of a five-week recess.

Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives, will dismiss the chamber today, a day earlier than planned.

“We’re not going to allow the Democrats to use this for political cover,” Johnson said during an impromptu gaggle with reporters.

President Donald Trump has helped Speaker Mike Johnson survive every political storm of his speakership. Now, Johnson is stuck in a crisis of Trump’s own making over Jeffrey Epstein — and there’s no clear way forward without risking the ire of the speaker’s most critical ally.

The House GOP conference, which included some of the Louisiana Republican's key allies, was in full rebellion over the spiraling Jeffrey Epstein situation.

“You can’t do anything because of Epstein,” one senior GOP senator fumed.