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House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., accused Democrats Friday 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,” Johnson argued. “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.”
After watching a clip of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., blaming Republicans for the shutdown, Johnson told “Fox & Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade that it was “infuriating” to hear the New York Democrat stating “the opposite of the truth.”
JOHNSON TURNS UP SHUTDOWN PRESSURE ON DEMOCRATS AS GOP UNEASE GROWS
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks as Senate Majority Leader John Thune looks on during a press conference on the first day of the partial government shutdown, at the Capitol, in Washington, D.C., Oct. 1. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters)
“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,” he maintained. “Three weeks ago. The ball is in the Senate’s court. That’s where the duty must be done now.”
Lawmakers voted deep into the night on Thursday on the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which advanced on a largely bipartisan vote. But the $925 billion package, which authorizes funding for the Pentagon, was effectively the last hurrah for the week in the upper chamber.
While there was discussion of putting the House GOP’s continuing resolution (CR), along with congressional Democrats’ counterproposal, on the floor for one last vote, the plan never came to fruition. Both would likely have failed for an eighth consecutive time.
MIKE JOHNSON RALLIES HOUSE REPUBLICANS ON GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN MESSAGING WAR DURING PRIVATE CALL
Johnson criticized Democrats for voting to “stop the payment of checks to troops, federal workers,” adding that two million civilian employees and 1.3 million active-duty military service members will go without pay as a result.
U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speaks to the media next to U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), on the day U.S. President Donald Trump meets with top congressional leaders from both parties, just ahead of a September 30 deadline to fund the government and avoid a shutdown, at the White House in Washington, D.C., Sept. 29, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/Reuters)
The House speaker was asked about the impact the ongoing government shutdown is having on everyday Americans, who, for example, may be facing flight cancellations due to TSA being funded by the government.
“Real harm to real people,” Johnson replied. “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,” he added.
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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 October 18th 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.
‘No Kings Day’ protest signs cover a wall at Union Market in Washington, D.C. leading up to the major protest on October 18th, 2025. (Fox News Digital/Emma Woodhead)
The rally Johnson referred to is the “No Kings Day” protest, which will take place on Oct. 18 in cities across the United States. The aim of the protest is to oppose President Donald Trump and his administration, and to show the world that “America has no kings, and the power belongs to the people.”
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.
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“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.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer and Jeffries for comment.
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