Speaker Mike Johnson welcomed a group of conservative influencers to Capitol Hill this week to discuss messaging strategies and celebrate President Donald Trump’s upcoming speech to Congress.

The meeting, which took place after Trump’s address, was part of an ongoing effort by Republicans to expand their digital outreach and counter Democrat narratives online.

During an interview with Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany on Outnumbered Friday, Johnson dismissed the idea of engaging in gimmicky social media content, taking a swipe at the Democrats’ latest viral video effort.

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“We don’t do dance videos. That is ridiculous. I mean, that is so cringeworthy!” Johnson said.

His remarks were a reaction to a widely mocked video posted by Democratic influencer Sulhee Jessica Woo, who was part of a group invited to the Capitol to create digital content for the Democratic Party.

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The video, titled “Choose Your Fighter,” was ridiculed online by conservative influencers and social media users, who described it as forced and inauthentic.

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Johnson characterized the Democrats’ approach as “performance art” and suggested it was unlikely to resonate with younger voters.

“If that is the performance, please continue to do that… I would like to see a lot more from them. That is fantastic,” Johnson said sarcastically.

The digital strategy shift among political figures follows a trend set by former President Barack Obama, who used viral videos and lighthearted social media content to connect with younger voters.

However, Johnson argued that modern audiences, particularly Gen Z, are seeking more authenticity rather than scripted performances.

“This next generation is so thirsty for authenticity, they just see all this performance stuff and it’s detestable to them and they want something that’s real,” Johnson said.

Following Trump’s address, Johnson met with several conservative influencers to discuss the Republican agenda moving forward.

Emily Austin, a reporter who attended the meeting, described the experience as a sign of the new administration’s focus on alternative media voices.

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“It was great!” Austin told DailyMail.com after the meeting. “It’s been clear that this new administration is really keen on empowering independent journalists.”

Discussions covered topics such as the importance of the State of the Union address and the Republican strategy to maintain control of the House in the upcoming election.

The group also explored ways to expand access for influencers covering political events.

“I left very optimistic, as he’s working to bring NEW MEDIA to the Capitol, just as Trump is doing at the White House,” influencer Nick Sorter wrote after the meeting.

“The days of leftist media coddling and running cover for Democrats at the Capitol are over.”

Justine Brooke Murray, another influencer present, added that the group also took time to mock the Democrats’ recent online messaging efforts.

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“We discussed everything from last night’s Democrats looking like they were in a giant Rexulti commercial to DOGE’s daily mining of government waste!” Murray wrote.

As part of the Republican outreach effort, Speaker Johnson also hosted The Benny Show host Benny Johnson for a four-hour live stream from his office.

The broadcast featured appearances from multiple Republican lawmakers, including Rep. Tim Burchett, Rep. Wesley Hunt, Sen. Katie Britt, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Sen. Mike Lee, and Sen. Ron Johnson.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we’re just having a party, we’re just going to throw down here!” Johnson said as prominent Republicans rotated through the event.

Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard also stopped by to discuss her first weeks leading the intelligence community.

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When asked if she had advance knowledge of what Trump was going to announce, Gabbard responded with a grin.

“Would I be the director of national intelligence if I didn’t?” she said. She added that she could not share details due to her role overseeing America’s top security secrets.

Had she revealed what she knew, she would have disclosed that Trump was preparing to announce the capture of a top terrorist responsible for the Abbey Gate bombing in Afghanistan.

While Republicans focused on influencer engagement, Democrats attempted a social media push of their own.

Several Democratic senators released nearly identical videos featuring rapid jump cuts, handheld microphones, and censored curse words in an effort to appear relatable and engaging.

Conservative social media users quickly noticed the uniformity of the content and compiled the videos into a mashup to highlight the scripted nature of the messaging.

The trend caught the attention of Elon Musk, who called out the Democrats for their lack of originality.

“Now we’re up to 22 Dem senators all doing the same cringe video simultaneously!” Musk posted, referring to it as the “worst puppet show ever.”

He also mocked the handheld microphones, comparing them to those used by teenagers in TikTok videos.

Musk went further, offering a challenge to uncover the source of the Democratic messaging campaign.

“I will buy a Cybertruck for anyone who can provide proof of who wrote this particular piece of propaganda,” Musk wrote. “First person to post proof in the replies to this post gets the truck!”

It remains unclear whether anyone has claimed Musk’s offer, but the post quickly gained traction, with over 59 million views.

While political figures engaging with influencers is not new, Republicans—led by Trump—are seeing significant success in their efforts.

After securing majorities in both the House and Senate in January, congressional Republicans are working to maintain their communications momentum beyond the election and into the governing process.

Trump’s unique media approach has inspired Republican communications teams to expand outreach beyond traditional press.

His campaign and administration have actively engaged with podcasters, social media influencers, TikTok personalities, and even video game streamers to bypass legacy media channels.

With Speaker Johnson’s office opening its doors to digital creators and Trump’s continued direct engagement with independent media, the Republican Party is reshaping how political messaging reaches the public.