Johnson Blasts Schumer for Allegedly Delaying Government Reopening to Appease Radical Left

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) delivered a scathing rebuke of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) Friday, accusing him of intentionally prolonging the government shutdown to satisfy the Democratic Party’s far-left base ahead of a controversial rally in Washington, D.C.

During an interview on Fox & Friends, Johnson said Republican lawmakers have learned that Democratic leaders plan to keep the government shuttered until after the “No Kings” rally scheduled for October 18 — an event that Johnson characterized as a gathering for anti-American extremists.

“I’m normally a patient guy, but I have HAD it with these people. They’re playing games with real people’s lives,” Johnson said, visibly frustrated.

“They have a Hate America rally scheduled for Oct. 18 on the National Mall. Pro-Hamas, Antifa people, they’re all coming out. House Democrats selling T-shirts for the event,” he added. “It’s being told to us they can’t reopen the government until after that rally, because they can’t face their rabid base!”

Johnson’s comments came just one day after the White House condemned Schumer for remarks that many viewed as celebratory amid the ongoing federal shutdown.

According to Punchbowl News, Schumer told reporters, “Every day gets better for us,” suggesting Democrats were politically benefiting from the shutdown and had prepared their messaging strategy weeks in advance.

“We knew that health care would be the focal point on Sept. 30,” Schumer said, indicating Democrats had mapped out the political fallout before the deadline, Fox News reported.

The statement triggered outrage from the Trump White House, which accused Schumer of showing indifference toward American families enduring the consequences of the shutdown.

Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson said in a statement to Fox News Digital:

“Chuck Schumer just said the quiet part out loud: Democrats are gleefully inflicting pain on the American people over their push to give illegal aliens free health care. Workers are missing paychecks; travelers are missing flights; businesses are struggling; military families are forced to rely on food pantries, but to Chuck Schumer, that means ‘every day gets better.’”

Jackson added that the administration would not allow Democrats to “politically profit from the suffering of Americans.”

“No matter what Chuck Schumer thinks, Americans struggling is not good, and the Democrats must stop inflicting this pain on them and reopen the government now.”

The shutdown, now entering its third week, has shuttered multiple federal agencies, leaving thousands of workers uncertain about when — or if — they will receive back pay once operations resume.

Republicans have placed full responsibility on Schumer, arguing that his actions reflect a desperate attempt to hold onto power amid growing internal challenges. Schumer has faced mounting pressure from the progressive wing of his party, particularly Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who is rumored to be weighing a 2026 Senate primary challenge.

President Donald J. Trump weighed in Thursday during a Cabinet meeting, calling Schumer’s remarks “disgusting” and accusing him of using the shutdown for political leverage.

“Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries and the Congressional Democrats are holding the entire federal government hostage,” President Trump said. “He’s terrified AOC is going to run against him, and she probably will. His numbers are terrible — I don’t think he makes it another term.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt echoed the president’s remarks, saying Schumer’s comments revealed the Democrats’ true priorities.

“While federal workers stress over missed paychecks, military families turn to food pantries, and airports face delays — Chuck Schumer and the Democrats are bragging that ‘every day gets better’ for them,” Leavitt wrote on X. “What a disgusting and revealing statement. Democrats are gleeful about inflicting pain on the American people.”

In response, Schumer’s office defended his remarks, sharing a portion of his Senate floor comments with Fox News Digital that attempted to redirect blame toward Republicans.