Mike Johnson blames Democrats’ ‘egocentric resolution’ for presidency shutdown

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Speaker of the House Mike Johnson defended Republicans' dealing with of the federal government shutdown and squarely blamed Democrats for what he described as a "terribly egocentric resolution" throughout an interview with "Particular Report."

"We had been merely attempting to purchase time," Johnson said . "Working via the method, we ran out of time. We want seven extra weeks."

Johnson claimed Home Democrats blocked the GOP’s persevering with decision (CR) — a short-term funding measure meant to maintain the federal government open — and as a substitute pushed ahead a "soiled CR" championed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

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"We put a clear CR on the desk, assuming that everyone, all of the Democrats, would do the precise factor," Johnson added. "They've rejected it. Now, thrice, as of right now, the Senate Democrats — 44 of them — have voted the clear CR down, they usually proposed Chuck Schumer's model, which is a grimy CR."

Senate Minority Chief Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks throughout a information convention on the U.S. Capitol Sept. 30, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Kent Nishimura/Getty Pictures)

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He went additional, alleging that Democrats didn’t even learn the invoice they offered.

"They do not perceive what they filed," Johnson insisted.

The Louisiana consultant torched the Democrats' proposal, saying it will "totally" repeal well being care reforms enacted by Trump’s "huge, lovely invoice" and add trillions of {dollars} in spending for a seven-week stop-gap measure.

"They wish to give well being care to unlawful aliens, claw again the funds that we put in for rural hospitals and all kinds of different mayhem," Johnson mentioned. "We won't try this. We're simply not going to do it."

One of many provisions Johnson emphasised was Medicaid reform, which he mentioned the Trump administration strengthened by guaranteeing that solely eligible recipients would get protection.

Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., joins fellow Home Democratic leaders and members to rally on the Home steps of the U.S. Capitol Sept. 30, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Pictures)

Johnson mentioned "2.3 million unlawful recipients for Medicaid can be pushed off the rolls due to our reforms. And it should save $185 billion of taxpayer funds," he mentioned. "They [Democrats] wish to return all these ineligible folks again to the rolls."

Regardless of Democrats blocking the GOP funding invoice three times , Johnson maintained the measure was largely nonpartisan.

"I might have loaded this up with all kinds of partisan provisions," he mentioned. "However we did not try this as a result of we're working in good religion, and we wish our companions on the opposite facet of the aisle to associate with us in order that the appropriators can go and debate all these points. That is how the system works, they usually're stopping it."

Chris Towner, coverage director for the Committee for a Accountable Federal Price range, described the Republican proposal as "nearly as clear of a CR as you might get."

Speaker of the Home Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks at a press convention with different members of Home Republican management in Washington, DC, United States, on Might 20, 2025. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu by way of Getty Pictures)

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The present authorities shutdown is the primary since 2018, when the federal authorities closed for 35 days, the longest in U.S. historical past. When Johnson was requested how lengthy he believed the closure would final this time round, he mentioned he hopes for a fast decision.