WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson said Democrats are willing to shut down the federal government to protect political interests and satisfy what he described as their “far-left base.”
In an interview on Fox News’ Hannity, Johnson criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries following a White House meeting on federal funding. He said Democrats refused to compromise on $1.5 trillion in spending demands tied to a stopgap funding measure.
“Chuck Schumer is now arguing exactly the opposite of what he has always said in his career… and he’s doing it out of political desperation,” Johnson said. “He is willing to force the government to shut down just to oppose President Trump for temporary political cover for himself.”
Johnson pointed to House passage of a continuing resolution earlier this month, which he said would have kept the government open without additional spending provisions. He argued Democrats’ position jeopardizes key programs and services.
“If they don’t fund the government, guess what does stop? The WIC program, that’s Women, Infants and Children Nutrition Program,” Johnson said. “We won’t have FEMA funded, and we’ve got hurricane season. Telemedicine, mental health services, all these things that the American people need, and they won’t be able to access if the Democrats go through with this.”
Johnson also accused Democrats of seeking to restore funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and extend benefits to undocumented immigrants, provisions Republicans removed from earlier legislation.
He praised former President Donald Trump for convening congressional leaders at the White House and said Republicans remain united in their position. “There is zero daylight between the White House, the President of the United States and Republicans in the Senate and in the House,” Johnson said.