Speaker Mike Johnson Addresses Rights in Declaration of Independence at Washington Rally

Speaker Mike Johnson spoke Sunday at the "Rededicate 250" rally on the mall in Washington, DC. He said rights do not derive from government but come from the creator and heavenly father. NBC News anchor Katy Tur discussed the remarks on air with her panel of guests. She asked whether Johnson was placing God over the Declaration of Independence.

Coppins responded by noting the historical context of the founding documents. He said the remarks reflected language from the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration states that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights. It adds that governments are instituted to secure those rights.

Johnson's comments paraphrased the Declaration's assertion that rights predate government. The text lists life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness as examples of those rights. The Bill of Rights later enumerated limits on government power to protect those same rights. Officials have referenced similar language in public statements for decades.