Speaker of the house Mike Johnson talks to TV reporters while standing next to Brandon Williams at an event in CNY.
Rep. Brandon Williams (left), House Speaker Mike Johnson (middle) and former Gubernatorial candidate Lee Zeldin (right) take questions after a rally at the Regional Market on Friday. Credit: Patrick McCarthy | Central Current

House Speaker Mike Johnson tried Friday to clear up whether he supports repealing a key incentive that would help bring Micron to Central New York.

His support for the incentive was thrown in doubt after a rally at the Regional Market in support of Rep. Brandon Williams’ re-election campaign.

Johnson told reporters after the rally he would “probably” repeal the CHIPS and Science Act if Donald Trump wins the presidency and Republicans have a majority in the House of Representatives. The legislation provides a significant incentive to companies who build factories to re-shore microchip production, like Micron plans to do.  

“I expect that we probably will, but we haven’t developed that part of the agenda yet, we gotta get over the election first,” Johnson said of repealing the CHIPS and Science Act. 

Not long after Johnson told reporters he would try to repeal the CHIPS Act, the statement earned rebuke from Democratic politicians, including Gov. Kathy Hochul. Vice President Kamala Harris tweeted the video of Johnson saying he would “probably” repeal the CHIPS and Science Act. 

“I’m amazed that any national leader would even consider repealing the CHIPS & Science Act — and Speaker Johnson threatening to do so during his visit to Central New York just shows how out-of-touch he and his allies are,” Hochul said in a statement.

Williams’ challenger, New York State Sen. John Mannion, a Democrat, released a statement calling Johnson and Williams extremists intent on repealing the CHIPS Act.

Following the backlash, Johnson said he misheard a question about repealing the CHIPS Act in a statement released by Williams’ office. Johnson said in the statement the CHIPS Act is “not on the agenda for repeal” but it could be streamlined to eliminate regulations and Green New Deal requirements.

The Speaker’s initial response about repealing the incentive aligned with comments made by former President Donald Trump. Trump called the CHIPS and Science Act “so bad” on Joe Rogan’s podcast and proposed imposing tariffs rather than incentivizing chip production in the United States. 

At the press conference with Johnson, Williams tried to jump in after Johnson said he “probably” would try to repeal the CHIPS and Science Act.

“No, obviously the CHIPS act is hugely impactful here,” Williams answered. “I will remind him night and day how important the CHIPS Act is, and that we break ground on Micron.”

Williams in 2022 called the CHIPS Act “corporate welfare.” 

During an interview Friday night, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon said the speaker’s clarifying statement was consistent with a private conversation McMahon had with Johnson before the rally. 

“He supports Micron here. And in addition to that, he wants to go back and have regulatory reform which could help Micron,” McMahon said.

According to McMahon, Johnson misspoke while describing legislation to remove a federal review from the CHIPS Act, which McMahon says could potentially expedite the Micron project.

“When I heard it, I didn’t believe it, because I literally was with him, literally talking about the need for regulatory reform,” McMahon said. “He said, absolutely, he wants to do that.”

McMahon reiterated his trust in the speaker’s support for the CHIPS Act and Micron.

“Anybody who doesn’t support the Micron project won’t have my support, and that’s not the case for Brandon,” McMahon said.

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Patrick McCarthy is a staff reporter at Central Current covering government and politics. A graduate of Syracuse University’s Maxwell and Newhouse Schools, McCarthy was born and raised in Syracuse and...