Johnson Rips Dems On 5th Day of ‘Schumer Shutdown’: ‘Real People’ Being Affected

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday placed full responsibility for the ongoing government shutdown on Senate Democrats, accusing them of playing politics instead of passing the Republican-led continuing resolution that would have kept the government open and funded for seven weeks.

During appearances on CBS’s Face the Nation and NBC’s Meet the Press, Johnson said that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer deliberately rejected the GOP’s short-term funding measure to extract political concessions — a move Johnson described as reckless and harmful to working Americans.

“Real people are being adversely affected around the country in very substantial ways,” Johnson said. “I pray that more Democrats in the Senate will come to their senses and do the right thing.”

Johnson: “Turn the Lights Back On in Congress”

Johnson pushed back against Democrats’ attempts to tie the shutdown to an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, calling it a “red herring” meant to distract from fiscal mismanagement.

“There’s probably 400 different ideas on how to fix that, so we need a little time to do it,” he said, according to Newsmax. “We’re not saying we won’t negotiate it. We’re saying turn the lights back on in Congress.”

The Speaker emphasized that the Republican plan was bipartisan, responsible, and designed to prevent disruption of vital federal services. Johnson warned that Schumer’s obstruction is already hurting veterans, seniors, and families, citing the shutdown’s impact on FEMA’s flood insurance program, the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition initiative, and pay for TSA agents, Border Patrol officers, and active-duty troops.

“Get troops paid, TSA agents and Border Patrol agents paid who are trying to protect us,” he said.

When pressed by host Margaret Brennan on whether he supports extending health care tax credits, Johnson said his priority is reopening the government — not rushing complex policy debates amid a crisis engineered by Senate Democrats.

“I haven’t staked out any position on it yet, because that’s not how this process works,” Johnson explained. “What I have to do is draw consensus among 435 members of my body.”

Trump Administration Eyes Spending Reforms During Shutdown

Later on Meet the Press, Johnson was asked about reports that the Trump administration is preparing to lay off thousands of federal employees during the shutdown — a move host Kristen Welker described as unprecedented.

“We haven’t seen the details yet about what’s happening,” Johnson said. “But it is a regrettable situation that the president does not want.”

He made clear, however, that Democrats would be to blame for any layoffs that occur, given their refusal to advance the House-passed spending bill.

“No, I don’t want federal workers laid off,” Johnson said. “I want Chuck Schumer to do the right thing … and vote to keep the government open.”

According to Newsmax, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed that the Office of Management and Budget is reviewing potential layoffs affecting “thousands” of federal employees. President Donald J. Trump met Thursday with OMB Director Russell Vought, describing the shutdown as an “unprecedented opportunity” to evaluate wasteful spending and streamline federal agencies.

Hegseth: “We’re Dealing With a Chuck Schumer Special”

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth echoed Johnson’s frustration, blasting Schumer’s handling of the crisis during an appearance on Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing.

“We’re dealing with a Chuck Schumer special right now,” Hegseth said. “This is the vanity of one man who doesn’t want to look weak to his base, so he’s trying to look tough, throw $1.5 trillion on top of what is otherwise a clean bill to fund the government, to move along on a regular order.”

Hegseth added that the shutdown is harming military readiness, with funding interruptions affecting key defense operations.

“Of course [the shutdown impacts readiness]. You’ve got to pay for the stuff you’re doing,” he said.

Despite Democratic obstruction, Hegseth vowed that Republicans would “fight through it” and continue prioritizing national security and fiscal responsibility.

“It’s unfortunate that the Democrats are pushing politics into something when all we want to do is defend the nation, and we’re going to keep doing it,” he said.

With President Trump and Speaker Johnson united, the GOP is positioning itself as the party of stability, accountability, and responsible governance — while Democrats continue to gamble with the livelihoods of millions of Americans.