Speaker Johnson Exits Emergency White House Meeting, Delivers Striking Statement

Washington D.C. – House Speaker Mike Johnson delivered a clear and forceful message Thursday: the ongoing government shutdown is entirely the fault of radical Senate Democrats led by Chuck Schumer, who have repeatedly blocked a clean funding bill and handed unprecedented power to President Donald J. Trump.
After an emergency meeting at the White House, Speaker Johnson told reporters that Schumer has “handed the keys to the kingdom to the president.” He emphasized that the shutdown is “completely unnecessary” and that President Trump takes no pleasure in it, but Democrats’ refusal to pass the simple seven-week stopgap bill has forced the administration to identify federal programs and agencies for cuts.
President Trump reinforced this reality on Truth Social, announcing a meeting with OMB Director Russ Vought — “he of Project 2025 fame” — to determine which Democrat agencies and wasteful programs should be cut, and whether those cuts will be temporary or permanent.
“I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity,” Trump wrote. “They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Under Vought’s direction, the administration has already frozen billions in funding for wasteful projects, including New York City subway infrastructure. Federal agencies are now implementing shutdown protocols, delaying payments, reviewing spending, and prioritizing essential functions according to the America First agenda.
Speaker Johnson defended Vought’s role, noting that any OMB director during a shutdown must make difficult decisions about what is essential and what is not. “He takes no pleasure in this,” Johnson said, but the responsibility falls on the administration when Democrats refuse to do their job.
The facts are undeniable: Senate Democrats have blocked the clean House-passed continuing resolution for the 10th time. They have ensured the shutdown continues into next week by leaving Washington for another extended weekend after only three short days in session. While Republicans stand ready to fund the government without poison pills, radical Democrats are holding the American people hostage to protect Obamacare subsidies and their favorite bloated agencies.
This is classic radical Democrat behavior — create a crisis through obstruction, then blame Republicans and President Trump for the pain. Speaker Johnson made it clear: “It could end today if the Senate Democrats would come to their senses and do the right thing for the American people. But if they don’t… it’s going to get more and more painful.”
President Trump and House Republicans are using this Democrat-created moment to do what they were elected to do: cut waste, eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy, and deliver real government efficiency. Russ Vought’s team is reviewing every agency through the lens of America First priorities — exactly what millions of voters demanded in 2024.
The radical left’s strategy is failing spectacularly. By forcing a shutdown to protect their sacred cows, Democrats have handed President Trump the perfect opportunity to shrink government, slash spending, and expose how much of the federal bureaucracy serves special interests rather than the American taxpayer.
Speaker Johnson’s announcement sends a strong message: Republicans will not cave to Democrat demands for more spending and more bureaucracy. The pain of this shutdown belongs entirely to Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats who chose politics over the American people.
Under President Trump’s leadership, America is finally moving toward a smaller, more efficient government that puts citizens first. The days of endless Democrat obstruction and unchecked spending are numbered.