In a packed speech at Cornell University, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson defended Western civilization, American leadership, and strong allied cooperation in May.
Hosted by the Cornell College Republicans and sponsored by Young America’s Foundation, the event drew a standing-room-only crowd, with dozens of students reportedly turned away due to capacity limits.
Johnson opened his remarks by addressing the U.S. conflict in Iran, arguing that the West must unite against hostile regimes and terrorist organizations. Throughout his speech, he repeatedly pointed to Iran’s support for groups like Hamas and the Houthis as justification for stronger Western unity against them.
“Iran is the black widow spider at the center of a web of terror,” Johnson said while discussing terrorism in the Middle East and the extreme threat posed by the Iranian regime, “They fund the Houthis, Hezbollah, Hamas.”
“They execute women for wearing the wrong headgear,” Johnson said about the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), “Machine gunning young men and women who are simply asking for a better life.”
Johnson also sharply criticized pro-Hamas sentiment seen on some college campuses since the October 7 attacks in Israel. Referring to Hamas terrorist attacks, Johnson challenged students in attendance to think clearly about the conflict and the values at stake.
“Whose side are you on?” Johnson asked the audience on the topic.
Later in the speech, Johnson turned toward a broader defense of Western civilization itself, rejecting the idea that the West should be viewed solely through the lens of colonialism or oppression. Instead, he argued that Western values such as liberty, democracy, and free enterprise remain worth preserving and defending.
“Western civilization is neither exclusively American nor European,” Johnson said, arguing that the good qualities of the West separate “the West from the rest.”
Johnson also further encouraged Western unity, commending NATO, and President Donald Trump’s work to ensure NATO countries to pay their share.
“When we stand together, we are stronger,” Johnson told the audience while emphasizing the cooperation.
During a question-and-answer session with students, Johnson defended Britain’s decision to leave the European Union, arguing Brexit was ultimately about restoring national sovereignty and democratic accountability.
Near the end of the event, Johnson praised and defended former President Ronald Reagan during one of his answers.
“If I had a hero in American politics, it would be Ronald Reagan,” Johnson said.
“He was right about Russia. Right about communism. He was right about socialism. He was right about enterprise,” Johnson said.
Johnson credited Reagan with helping win the Cold War and standing firmly against communism and Soviet expansion. When another student challenged Reagan’s record on unions, Johnson pushed back by arguing that excessive union power had severely damaged the United Kingdom’s economy in the past.
See the full speech here:
