Speaker Johnson Condemns Democratic Obstruction as Government Shutdown Escalates
By Newsmax Wires | Sunday, 02 November 2025 03:52 PM EST
Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday rejected claims attributing the ongoing government shutdown to President Donald Trump, accusing Democrats of “digging in their heels” to advance partisan spending while Republicans have repeatedly sought to reopen the government.
“We reject all of this,” the Louisiana Republican stated on “Fox News Sunday.” “This isn’t about winning a political contest here. Real people are losing.” Johnson alleged that Democrats have “voted 14 times now to keep the government closed — to block SNAP benefits, to prevent paying the troops.” He further claimed they have “shut the government down over restoring free healthcare for illegal aliens as part of their $1.5 trillion partisan wish list.”
The speaker highlighted growing hardships for ordinary Americans, noting that 42 million recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are at risk. “Women, infants, and children are running out of funds from the nutrition programs that President Trump and the White House have heroically funded so far,” he said, adding, “It’s becoming real for more and more people.”
Johnson addressed Trump’s recent calls for Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster, acknowledging the president’s frustration. “He’s a big-hearted president who wants everyone to get their services — veterans’ care, SNAP benefits, all of it,” Johnson stated. He noted that Trump has “tried everything he can to negotiate” but criticized the filibuster as a tool used by Democrats to “weaponize hunger” and ignore bipartisan solutions.
On healthcare, Johnson dismissed concerns from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene about GOP health reform plans, asserting that strategy details are withheld to prevent leaks. He claimed Republicans have “published 60 or 70 pages of reform ideas years ago” and promised a plan to reduce premiums, blaming Democrats for the rise in costs under the Affordable Care Act.
Turning to foreign policy, Johnson defended U.S. strikes on drug-running vessels, calling them legally justified and necessary to protect the homeland from “narcoterrorists.” He compared the threat to that of al-Qaida, stating such operations could prevent “tens of thousands of Americans” from being harmed.
Johnson also denied allegations that he delayed the swearing-in of Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva to block votes on Jeffrey Epstein documents, calling the claim “ridiculous.” He noted that 43,000 pages of Epstein-related records have already been released by the House Oversight Committee, emphasizing a commitment to transparency.
