Democrats apparently have no urgency to reopen the federal government, as they are planning to take part in a rally a week from now.
During an interview on Fox News, House Speaker Mike Johnson accused Democrats of “playing politics” with Americans’ lives amid the ongoing government shutdown.
“Chuck Schumer and the Democrats are playing politics with the lives of real American people. He’s getting accolades right now from the far left. That was the whole objective. They had to appease the Marxist base of the Democrat Party, and so they pick this fight right now. It is absurd,” Johnson argued.
After watching a clip of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., blaming Republicans for the shutdown, Johnson said it was “infuriating” to hear the New York Democrat stating “the opposite of the truth.”
“It was three weeks ago today, Brian, that the House voted to pay the troops, pay federal workers, and keep the government open. We passed a clean CR. Three weeks ago. The ball is in the Senate’s court. That’s where the duty must be done now,” Johnson argued.
Last Thursday, lawmakers voted late into the night on the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The bill moved forward with mostly joint votes. But the $925 billion package, which gives the Pentagon money, was pretty much the last thing the upper house did for the week.
The House GOP’s continuing resolution (CR) and the Democrats’ counterproposal were talked about going to the floor for one last vote, but the plan never came together. Most likely, both would have failed for the eighth time in a row.
Johnson said that Democrats were wrong to vote to “stop the payment of checks to troops and federal workers.” He also said that as a result, 2 million civilian workers and 1.3 million active-duty military members will not get paid.
People in the United States were asked what effect the current government shutdown is having on them. For example, because the government pays for TSA, people may have to stop flights.
“Real harm to real people. We’re hearing it from our constituents. The House Republicans right now are in their districts working, trying to help people through this crisis that’s being created by the Democrats. I mean, it’s health services, it is nutrition services for young mothers and infant children. It’s, you know, all manner of services that are provided. FEMA, they can’t write flood insurance policies in the middle of a hurricane season because of this nonsense. And we’re so angry about it,” Johnson replied.
Johnson noted that while he may be a “patient guy,” he has “had it with these people” and reiterated that Democrats are “playing games with real people’s lives.”
“The theory we have right now, they have a ‘Hate America’ rally that’s scheduled for Oct. 18 on the National Mall. It’s all the pro-Hamas wing and the Antifa people, they’re all coming out. Some of the House Democrats are selling T-shirts for the event. And it’s being told to us that they won’t be able to reopen the government until after that rally because they can’t face their rabid base,” the House speaker claimed.
Johnson was talking about the “No Kings Day” protest, which will happen on October 18 in cities all around the United States.
Liberals claim the protest is to show the world that “America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people” and to stand up against President Donald Trump and his government.
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Wrapping up his remarks, Johnson said there has “never been, in the history of Congress, a party willing to shut the government down over a clean CR.”
He added there was nothing he could remove from the bill to make it more “palatable for Democrats,” stressing that Republicans did not fill the measure solely with their own priorities.
“We just simply said, ‘Give us seven more weeks to finish the government funding process, the appropriations process, and let’s all work together.’ And they chose this moment to put up a fight against President Trump because they have derangement syndrome, and it’s very real, and to show that they’re fighting Republicans,” he railed.
“For what?! For what?! They’re hurting the American people, and I’ve just had it,” Johnson said.