Live updates from government on shutdown as standoff set to continue into third week

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday blamed Democrats for the government’s funding impasse, mocking what he called “costly political games that Democrats are playing here in Congress.”

“We are now on day 13 of the Democrats shutting down Schumer,” Johnson said at a news conference, mentioning the Democratic Senate minority leader. “This is the third week Democrats have frozen pay for our troops, frozen the pay of 2.2 million federal workers, and kept in limbo the essential services the American people depend on.”

The Louisiana Republican added: “At least they tried to block these checks” intended for the military, but “President Trump, once again showing strong leadership, stepped in to guarantee that our troops will be paid on October 15, until the Democrats stop holding the country hostage.”

Johnson said he and the president spoke “at length” before Mr. Trump left for the Middle East.

“He and I are so frustrated that the Democrats are perfectly happy to do all this damage while they play political stunts,” Johnson said.

“We find it hard to believe that they are willing to accept this,” Johnson said.

The speaker said “the shutdown was not necessary” and blasted Democrats for “playing a political game.”

“Today’s Democrats have no leader, no vision, no direction,” Johnson said.

Johnson reiterated that the House did its job in passing a measure to fund the government through Nov. 21, and he urged five other Senate Democrats to support the measure so it could reach the 60-vote threshold for passage.

“We are headed toward one of the longest shutdowns in American history unless Democrats abandon their partisan demands and pass a clear, no-strings-attached budget to reopen the government and pay our federal workers,” Johnson said.

Johnson, who again overturned votes in the lower house this week, said the House “will return to legislative session as soon as Democrats come to their senses and open the government.”

“We’re on day 13,” he said. “It should end tomorrow.”