Mike Johnson's Marriage Is Full Of Glaringly Obvious Red Flags

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has propped himself up as a committed conservative, and his marriage might just be a testament to that image. Wedding Kelly Lary in 1999 after an eyebrow-raising relationship, the pair sought out an uncommon covenant marriage. This type of union creates a binding commitment between the pair but is most notable for what little wiggle room it has for divorce. It's a rare agreement, and one that is not allowed in the majority of states in America, probably due to its strict contract. Though its face of unity and loyalty is perfectly in line with the ultraconservative Republican's image, it may be the marriage's close alignment with submission rather than its everlasting love that drew his attraction. 

In celebration of their 25th anniversary, Johnson likens his wife's role to an accessory to him and a signal to others of his worthiness. Sharing an Instagram carousel of images captioned with a brief detailing of their romance, the Speaker of the House left followers with a short Bible verse, "An excellent wife is the crown of her husband." The republican echoed this sentiment again on the couple's 26th anniversary in May 2025, painting a submissive and deeply conservative image of Lary. Their 26-year-long marriage has welcomed four children over the years. The growing Johnson clan has brought to light the couple's bizarre history involving children, having unofficially adopted a young teen in their late 20s. 

During the start of their marriage, Mike Johnson and Kelly Lary informally adopted a young black teen in their neighborhood, Michael James. The pair are only 11 years older than their son, who was 14 at the time that they welcomed him into their family, and the decision has since sparked controversy. Though James voiced to The Daily Mail his gratitude toward the Johnsons, saying, "I thank God all the time for giving them both the strength, patience, and unwavering faith that inspired me to do better and be better," there has been a notable absence of James' presence on Johnson's political website, social media pages, and even family posts that thank his wife for their four children, not five. 

It has not gone unnoticed by others, which has pushed a response from Johnson's Communication Director (via Newsweek), "He asked not to be involved in their new public life. The Speaker has respected that sentiment throughout his career and maintains a close relationship with Michael to this day." The statement has done little to calm speculations surrounding Johnson's silence on James' existence. The New York Times best-selling author, Jemar Tisby, PhD, details the strange absence of James even before the released statement, noting that James was not involved in a series of big moments for the couple, "Not in Johnson's biography, not at his wedding, not in any recent family photos, not on vacations." (via Footnotes by Jemar Tisby)