House Speaker Mike Johnson, right, is criticizing Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's, left, for refusing to agree to a GOP-led plan to avert a government shutdown. (Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg via Getty Images; Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
"And even when the Republicans were in the minority, we did the right thing to keep the government open. And we fully expected that Schumer would do that again, as he always has, but not this time," Johnson said.
"This is a selfish political calculation he's made, that he's got to prove to the far left that he's going to fight Trump or something. So we talked about our frustration with that."
He said Trump appeared "happy" that Republicans remain unified in their federal funding stance but was concerned about the effects of a prolonged shutdown on everyday Americans.
REPUBLICANS ERUPT OVER SHUTDOWN CHAOS, ACCUSE DEMS OF HOLDING GOVERNMENT ‘HOSTAGE’
"But the reason we're happy about that is because we know we're doing the right thing for the American people," Johnson said. "And Chuck Schumer and the Democrats are demonstrating that they are willing to inflict this pain upon the people for their own political purposes. And I think that is a tough thing for them to get over."
He said of a meeting between congressional leaders and Trump that occurred on Monday, "I tried my best in the White House, and he just is in no mood to have a real discussion about these issues. So we are where we are."
Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks with reporters near his office on Capitol Hill, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)
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"If it was not clean and simple, if I had loaded it up with a bunch of Republican partisan priorities, then there would be something for us to negotiate. I could take those things off and offer it again. I sent it over with nothing attached at all," he said.
"It quite literally is just buying us time to finish the appropriations process, which was being done in a bipartisan manner. So I don't have anything to give, there's nothing I can give. And Chuck Schumer has made such outrageous counter-demands and proposals that he's the one that has to come to his senses."
He was referring to Democrats’ counter-proposal for a CR, which would have repealed the Medicaid reforms made in Republicans' One Big, Beautiful Bill, while restoring funding for NPR and PBS that was cut by the Trump administration earlier this year.
Fox News Digital reached out to Schumer’s office for a response but did not hear back by press time.
Elizabeth Elkind is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital leading coverage of the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen at Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/johnson-accuses-schumer-blocking-real-discussion-keep-government-open