On the 13th day of the government shutdown, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) sharply criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) over a reported plan to delay reopening the government until after a planned left-wing “No Kings” rally on October 18 in Washington, D.C. Johnson accused Democratic leaders of putting the demands of their activist base ahead of the American public, who continue to be impacted by the ongoing shutdown.
Johnson claimed the rally is being supported by radical groups, saying, “They have a Hate America rally scheduled… Pro-Hamas, Antifa people… House Democrats are selling T-shirts for the event.” He alleged that Democrats were deliberately stalling budget negotiations to avoid alienating their base before the rally. He also criticized the Democrats’ budget proposal, which includes foreign aid programs he described as “wasteful,” such as funding for climate initiatives in Honduras and civic programs in Africa and the Balkans.
The White House rebuked Schumer’s controversial remark that the shutdown was “getting better” for Democrats. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoed Republican concerns, stating that the “No Kings” rally represents “no paychecks and no government,” reinforcing the view that Democrats are using the shutdown for political leverage rather than working toward a resolution.
Democratic Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) broke from party lines, criticizing the shutdown strategy. He emphasized the negative impact on Americans and urged both parties to reopen the government immediately. Fetterman called for bipartisan dialogue on key issues, such as extending Obamacare tax credits.
Meanwhile, moderate Democrats like Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Independent Sen. Angus King (I-Maine) joined Republicans in supporting a GOP-led stopgap funding bill to end the shutdown. However, the measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance in the Senate, leaving the deadlock unresolved.
