House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) continued to pin the blame on Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown on Thursday, even as more than 20 million Americans risk losing federal food benefits.
CNN’s “Inside Politics” host Dana Bash pressed Johnson on why he refuses to extend federal food subsidies, asking if he would accept “a partial government funding deal” to reopen the Department of Agriculture and “alleviate the pain” for families whose benefits are set to expire Saturday. Johnson dismissed the proposal as a political stunt.
“Well, there are a handful of moderate centrist Democrats left in the U.S. Senate, and they are in panic mode right now because they recognize that their votes have been the reason that all this pain and hardship is being experienced by the American people,” Johnson said.
“They have voted now 14 times to impose this hardship and pain. They’re doing it for political purposes. As I’ve explained … they’re worried about the radical left base that is rising, the Democrat Party and some of the leading politicians there,” he added.
Johnson also accused House and Senate Minority Leaders Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) of staying in the fight only out of fear of challenges from more progressive politicians, naming New York City mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani.
“So here’s the answer,” Johnson told Bash. “We cannot deviate from the number one job and responsibility of the U.S. Congress, and that is to keep the government in operation for the people. And the simplest way to fix this is to reopen the government, not just parts of it.”
“So they can alleviate a little bit of the pain that they themselves are causing,” he continued. “Let’s alleviate all the pain and get that done. They have no logical argument why they would not do that.”
The shutdown began after Republicans voted down a Democratic spending bill on Oct. 1 that would have extended Affordable Care Act subsidies. Now, the stalemate threatens Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments, leaving millions of households in limbo.
Bash noted that while SNAP benefits will expire Saturday, the government has found a way to continue paying the military. She asked Johnson why he’s “drawing the line” at food for Americans.
“Wait a minute, wait,” Johnson protested. “I reject the premise of the question. I’m not drawing the line. The Democrats are drawing the line. If we had a contingency fund that we could use, that would be done. The White House … the executive branch, all the cabinet secretaries are doing everything they can to mitigate and reduce the pain.”
He argued that contingency funds for food benefits can’t be tapped because Congress didn’t authorize them before the shutdown. When Bash pushed back, noting Democrats say the law allows it, Johnson called that “ridiculous.”
States led by Democratic governors have already sued the Trump administration over the refusal to pay benefits to the 22 million households affected.
Watch the exchange below from CNN:
