Washington is once again held hostage by political gridlock as a partial government shutdown lingers into its third day.
House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed confidence on Sunday that the partial U.S. government shutdown, which began at 12:01 a.m. Saturday will end by Tuesday. The shutdown was triggered after Senate Democrats rejected a bipartisan funding deal at the last minute, insisting on changes to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policies.
Johnson, speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and “Fox News Sunday,” emphasized the urgency of resolving the issue while noting logistical and political hurdles in securing a deal. The standoff has left key government operations unfunded, impacting services not covered by previously passed appropriations bills.
Last month, the House approved a bundle of six funding bills to sustain government operations for the fiscal year. Still, Senate Democrats balked after a fatal Border Patrol shooting in Minneapolis on Jan. 24. A compromise emerged to pass five of those bills while placing the sixth, tied to the Department of Homeland Security, on a temporary two-week track for further talks, according to the New York Post.
While Democrats have tried to point fingers at Republican policies, it’s clear their last-second demands derailed a workable bipartisan plan. This isn’t the 43-day quagmire of last year’s record-breaking shutdown, but it still stings for Americans tired of D.C. dysfunction.
Johnson didn’t mince words, pinning the blame squarely on Democrats for forcing this shutdown. “No one wanted to put that pain on the American people again. The Democrats forced it,” he said on “Meet the Press.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has rolled out a laundry list of demands, including tighter warrants, ending roving patrols, and mandating body cameras for immigration officers. Some of these, like accountability measures, might have merit, but others—like forcing agents to remove masks—seem designed to hamstring border security. Johnson called such conditions dangerous, echoing border czar Tom Homan’s firm rejection of these terms.
Johnson noted that while a few Democratic requests could be reasonable, many need serious negotiation. “Some of these conditions and requests that they’ve made are obviously reasonable and should happen,” he admitted on “Meet the Press.” But he quickly added that others are non-starters, signaling a tough road ahead.
President Trump has wisely given GOP leaders the go-ahead to negotiate, showing trust in their ability to navigate this crisis. Meanwhile, under Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota, Trump has tapped Tom Homan to oversee a drawdown of federal personnel, a pragmatic move to de-escalate tensions. This kind of leadership contrasts sharply with the posturing we’re seeing from the left.
Yet, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries remains cagey, privately admitting to Johnson he can’t guarantee Democratic support for any compromise. Publicly, Jeffries plays the silent game, leaving Republicans to wonder if they’ll get the votes needed. This kind of waffling only deepens the gridlock.
With the House on recess last week, the new $1.2 trillion deal couldn’t be passed, exacerbating the funding gap. Now, Johnson faces a narrow Republican majority and likely defections, meaning dozens of Democratic votes are needed to fast-track the deal via suspension of the rules—a two-thirds majority process. Odds are that it won’t happen, forcing a slower traditional route through the House Rules Committee on Monday.
Johnson has highlighted the logistical nightmare of getting members back to Washington in time for votes. Add to that the uncertainty of Democrat cooperation, and it’s clear Republicans might have to shoulder this burden largely alone.
The House Rules Committee meeting on Monday is the next critical step, but don’t expect miracles overnight. Johnson’s resolve to push forward, even if mostly with GOP votes, shows a commitment to governing that’s sorely lacking on the other side of the aisle.
Let’s not forget Congress had already passed six of the 12 necessary appropriations bills before this fiasco unfolded. That groundwork should have prevented this shutdown, but Democratic insistence on overhauling ICE policies at the eleventh hour threw a wrench in the works. It’s hard to see this as anything but a deliberate stall tactic.
What happens if negotiations drag past Tuesday? The American people, already weary of government shutdowns, will bear the brunt of delayed services and economic ripple effects. Republicans, under Johnson’s steady hand, seem poised to prioritize a solution over political gamesmanship.
In the end, this shutdown is a test of whether common sense can prevail over ideological brinkmanship. Johnson and the GOP are ready to act responsibly, while Democrats risk overplaying their hand with demands that jeopardize border security. For the sake of the nation, let’s hope Tuesday brings resolution, not more excuses.
