Mike Johnson roasted for swearing he hasn't lost control of House: 'If you have to say it'

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) faced a massive blow to his leadership on Wednesday after four House Republicans crossed over to support Democrats' discharge petition for a three-year extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies — and immediately faced questions from reporters over his leadership, to which he adamantly responded, "I have not lost control" of the House, despite this being the third discharge petition to overrule him this year.

This exchange, which came shortly before House Republicans sought to crack down and terminate a vote on the discharge petition early, led to an avalanche of mockery from commenters on social media.

"'I have not lost control of the House' sounds like a guy who has definitely lost control of the House," chided Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

"Recent scientific studies confirm that the most reliable indicator of a Speaker losing control of the House: the moment he tells reporters, 'I have not lost control of the House,'" jabbed Rep. Sam Liccardo (D-CA).

"Right up there with 'I am not a crook,'" wrote Missouri State University president emeritus Mike Nietzel, referencing the notorious words of former President Richard Nixon.

"I was more convinced when Christine O'Donnell said she wasn't a witch," wrote Andrew Feinberg of The Independent, referring to an infamous moment for a Republican candidate in the 2010 U.S. Senate election in Delaware.

"[narrator] He has," wrote former CNN analyst Chris Cillizza.

"If you have to say it..." wrote The Record cybersecurity reporter Martin Matishak.

"Narrator: He never had control to lose it," wrote Furman University education professor Paul Thomas.