Republican and Democratic leadership continued blaming the government shutdown on each other Sunday, five days after Congress failed to fund the government.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) appeared on CBS News’s Face the Nation on Sunday shortly after he declared this coming week a district work period, canceling any events in the Capitol and sending members home.
“The president wants the government open. He’s pleaded with Schumer and Hakeem in person in his office to do that. They said no because they want to do this,” Johnson said, referring to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
REPUBLICANS ARE PUSHING THESE FIVE DEMOCRATS TO FLIP ON FUNDING BILL
“Do you know what they counterproposed? They want to spend $1.5 trillion, and they want to return hard-working taxpayer dollars to fund healthcare for illegal aliens. It is in their bill. Go to speaker.gov and see it for yourself, page 57, Section 2141,” Johnson added. “They are using it for political games, and it is shameful. Real people are getting hurt.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) tells @MargBrennan that neither he nor President Trump supports using government shutdown and funding as leverage for mass layoffs, saying the president “wants the government open.” Johnson criticized Democrats for their $1.5 trillion proposal,… pic.twitter.com/ThxPYN3FEC
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) October 5, 2025
President Donald Trump elaborated further on comments made by White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought just before boarding Air Force One on Sunday. Vought teased “imminent” mass federal layoffs that may be permanent rather than temporary furloughs during the shutdown. Vought privately told House Republicans on a call Wednesday that the reduction in force would occur this week.
Moments before Trump began his flight to Norfolk, Virginia’s naval base to celebrate the branch’s 250th anniversary, a reporter asked the president, “What about the layoffs?”
“I call them Democrat layoffs. They’re causing it. We’re ready to go back,” Trump said. “It’s up to them. Anybody laid off, that’s because of the Democrats.”
Reporter: What about the layoffs?
Trump: I call them Democrat layoffs. They’re causing it. Anybody laid off—that’s because of the Democrats pic.twitter.com/kf2r6ifv3B
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 5, 2025
Meanwhile, Jeffries claimed that there haven’t been any negotiations since the government closed at midnight on Wednesday.
“Well, the last time there was a conversation with Republican leadership was in the White House meeting last Monday. And unfortunately, since that point in time, Republicans, including Donald Trump, have gone radio silent,” Jeffries said on NBC News’s Meet the Press on Sunday.
“And what we’ve seen is negotiation through deepfake videos, the House canceling votes, and, of course, President Trump spending yesterday on the golf course. That’s not responsible behavior,” Jefferies said. “As Democrats, our view is that we will find bipartisan common ground with our Republican colleagues to reopen the government, to actually pass a spending bill that meets the needs of the American people, but we have to decisively address this Republican health care crisis that is devastating hard-working American taxpayers.”
BREAKING: Hakeem “El Jefe” Jeffries is MANIC over Trump just CUTTING THEM OFF and not giving into their demands!
TRIGGERED!
“Republicans, including Donald Trump, have gone RADIO SILENT.”
There should be ZERO NEGOTIATIONS with INSURRECTIONISTS like Hakeem and his comrades! pic.twitter.com/REGADs7tXe
— Gunther Eagleman
(@GuntherEagleman) October 5, 2025
Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) took to X on Sunday to share a quote made by Trump in 2011 on NBC News’s Today. At the time, then-President Barack Obama narrowly avoided a government shutdown. Trump commented on the possible shutdown to say, “If there is a shutdown, I think it would be a tremendously negative mark on the president of the United States. He’s the one that has to get people together.”
THE RISKS OF TRUMP’S ‘GRIM REAPER’ SHUTDOWN STRATEGY
Booker’s post followed similar posts from Sens. Alex Padilla (D-CA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA).
This is the third government shutdown under Trump, but the first during his second term. The last government shutdown under Trump was a record length of 35 days.