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Rep. Hank Johnson Calls U.S. 'The Great Satan' in Heated Interview Over Trump-Era Strikes

Isaac Schorr
11:38 PM, 12/10/2025

Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) called the United States "the Great Satan" during an appearance on The Dean Obeidallah Show, criticizing then-President Donald Trump’s strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the Western Hemisphere. Johnson accused the U.S. of acting as a global bully that uses power with impunity and called the actions an affront to basic humanity. The phrase "Great Satan" dates to Iran’s 1979 revolution and the subsequent hostage crisis that held 52 Americans; the term remains a potent piece of anti-American rhetoric. Video of the interview is available on YouTube.

Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) likened the United States to "the Great Satan" during an outspoken appearance on The Dean Obeidallah Show over the weekend, criticizing what he described as heavy-handed U.S. actions in the Western Hemisphere.

The exchange came after host Dean Obeidallah suggested that then-President Donald Trump’s strikes on suspected drug traffickers in the region were making the U.S. look "some kind of-, like a Putin-esque type of nation." Responding, Johnson argued that the country was behaving like a global bully.

"Yeah, we are the world’s No. 1 bully, and we’re using our immense, unrivaled power to rule over those who have less power. And we’re doing it with impunity," Johnson said. "And this sends a shocking message to the world that America is indeed the-, what did they used to call? The great hand of Satan, or something like that? I mean, America under the Trump regime is demonstrating that that moniker was entirely accurate. The Great Satan, that’s what we have become in this country when we can start killing people with impunity. It’s really shocking to the conscience, and it’s an affront to our basic humanity. No longer can Americans say that we are exceptional."

The phrase "Great Satan" emerged during Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution and became a slogan used by the revolutionary leadership to condemn U.S. influence; during the 1979–1981 hostage crisis, 52 Americans were held captive in Tehran. The expression has since been associated with anti-American rhetoric from Iran's clerical regime, which Western governments have long accused of supporting militant groups abroad.

Video of Johnson’s remarks is available on The Dean Obeidallah Show YouTube channel. This report was first published by Mediaite.

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