2:52House Speaker Mike Johnson addresses journalists during a press briefing on the 22nd day of the government impasse, at the Capitol in Washington, Oct. 22, 2025. J. Scott Applewhite/AP
On Wednesday, as the government shutdown reached its 22nd day, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson reiterated familiar arguments he has been making for a month – placing the responsibility on Democrats to restore government operations — yet he conceded that the GOP’s message is becoming "stale" and a shift in tactics could be required.
"We are now witnessing the second-longest government shutdown of any kind in the nation’s history, which is truly regrettable. Democrats are consistently setting records, but unfortunately, they’re doing so for all the wrong reasons,” Johnson stated to the media during the daily press conference he has been conducting at the Capitol.
Johnson was questioned about the comments made by Texas Republican Rep. Beth Van Duyne on a previous GOP conference call, where she reportedly urged Johnson to reconvene the House in Washington.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson talks to reporters during a news conference on day 22 of the government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Oct. 22, 2025.J. Scott Applewhite/AP
"No, that's not what she said …," Johnson countered. "She stated, 'The message is losing its impact,' and I replied, 'You know what, Beth? You're absolutely correct' — because we keep presenting the same arguments day after day."
Nonetheless, the speaker affirmed that House Republicans are "almost entirely — probably 99.8%" in agreement on the strategy of declining to engage in discussions with Democrats until the government is funded — even, Johnson noted, as they’re "eager to resume their duties."
"The citizens of this nation are not naive, and we're here daily appealing to their good judgment and conveying the facts, and fortunately, those facts are widely disseminated," he added.
With over 42% of the period that the House-passed continuing resolution was intended to cover until Nov. 21 now elapsed — and the shutdown ranking as the second-longest pause in appropriations in U.S. history — Johnson suggested that the time might be nearing to request members to return.
The Dome of the U.S. Capitol Building is visible, October 22, 2025 in Washington.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
"Evidently, the schedule is being consumed by all this political theater orchestrated by the Democrats," Johnson remarked. “They are running out the clock. So, as we approach November, it will become progressively more challenging with each passing hour to finalize all the appropriations on schedule. We recognize this, but we must address this situation on a day-to-day basis.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffires speaks at a news conference on Capitol Hill, October 22, 2025 in Washington.Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Later on Wednesday, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed his "hope" that the shutdown would be resolved by the month’s end, but showed no inclination to yield on his $1.5 trillion demands.
"Republicans are still on recess for the fourth week running. Donald Trump is once again getting ready to depart the country,” Jeffries noted — alluding to the president's intentions to leave Friday night for a tour of three Asian nations for a series of high-profile meetings with international leaders.
Jeffries again implored Johnson and Republicans to engage in negotiations to identify a solution to reopen the government and “deal with this health care crisis that they’ve manufactured,” referencing their opposition to extending enhanced Obamacare subsidies and the potential for millions of Americans to experience soaring premiums as a result.
When asked for his reaction to Trump’s statement that he would only meet with Democrats to address health care matters once the shutdown concludes, Jeffries reproached the president for disregarding Democratic calls for negotiation.
“Donald Trump has dedicated more time to golfing than he has to engaging with Democrats on Capitol Hill to restore government operations, to approve a bipartisan spending agreement, and to resolve the Republican health care crisis," he commented.
Jeffries also dismissed a query regarding Democrats using the shutdown as leverage to secure health care concessions from Republicans — after the GOP capitalized on a recent interview in which House Minority Whip Katherine Clark admitted that the hardship caused by the shutdown is among the few sources of leverage available to Democrats as they operate in the minority in both chambers.
"Our stance isn’t about tactics," Jeffries stated. "Mike Johnson and the Republicans consistently discuss tactics. As Democrats, our focus is on creating a positive impact in the lives of the American population, as the American population deserves superior governance than what they've received from Donald Trump and extreme MAGA Republicans."
A fresh Quinnipiac University poll published on Wednesday indicates that 45% of registered voters believe Republicans in Congress bear greater responsibility for the shutdown, while 39 percent consider Democrats in Congress more responsible. Eleven percent volunteered that they believe both parties share equal responsibility.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
