House Speaker Mike Johnson insists he will withhold negotiations with Democrats until they retract their healthcare-related conditions.
Published On 13 Oct 2025
Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, has warned that the ongoing government shutdown risks becoming the longest in American history as negotiations between Republicans and Democrats remain deadlocked.
Addressing the press on Monday, Johnson, a Republican, declared he would refuse to engage in talks with Democratic leaders unless they first abandon their healthcare-related conditions, which lie at the heart of the current stalemate.
“We are heading toward one of the most prolonged shutdowns the country has ever seen,” Johnson stated, emphasizing his leadership role among House Republicans.
Since the shutdown began 13 days ago, the Trump administration has leveraged the situation to initiate a series of budget cuts and workforce reductions across federal agencies, despite ongoing legal debates over the legitimacy of these actions.
President Trump has openly indicated that these reductions will disproportionately affect his political opponents, asserting last week that he intends to curtail “Democrat programs” if the party does not relent on healthcare subsidy demands.
Public opinion polls reveal that responsibility for the shutdown is attributed almost equally among Democrats, Republicans, and President Trump himself.
Democratic lawmakers have pushed for an extension of subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, which millions of Americans depend on to afford their health insurance plans.
Republicans argue that healthcare issues should be resolved only after the government reopens, though Democrats remain skeptical about the GOP’s commitment to this promise.
Earlier this year, Republicans passed a significant tax and spending package projected to strip healthcare coverage from over 15 million Americans.
While government shutdowns have become somewhat routine in recent U.S. political history, they disrupt essential services and often force federal employees to work without pay for uncertain durations.
Over the weekend, the U.S. military announced it would reallocate unused funds originally designated for research and development to ensure continued pay for service members during the shutdown.
The Trump administration’s push for widespread layoffs marks a new and controversial development in shutdown tactics. Vice President JD Vance has cautioned that even harsher cuts are forthcoming, as federal employee unions prepare legal challenges against the dismissals.
