The standoff over government funding intensified Thursday when CNN abruptly cut away from House Speaker Mike Johnson’s press conference as he accused Democrats of forcing a shutdown to restore health benefits for illegal immigrants.
The federal government partially shut down at 12:01 a.m. on October 1 after short-term funding bills failed in the Senate.
Both parties have traded blame since, but Republicans insist Democrats are holding the process hostage over demands for new spending and healthcare subsidies that would extend to non-citizens.
At his Thursday press conference, Johnson accused Democrats of rejecting a clean short-term resolution passed by the Republican-led House in favor of a far more costly proposal.
“On page 57 of the Democrats’ own bill – they insist we restore $200 billion in health care subsidies for illegal aliens,” Johnson said. “CNN is not a news organization. They cut off the Republican press conference to censor the truth from the American people and lie about indisputable facts.”
According to Johnson, Democrats also demanded hundreds of millions for PBS programming, additional discretionary spending, and cuts to rural hospital funding as conditions to keep the government open.
“Instead of working with Republicans to responsibly extend funding until November, Schumer chose a shutdown,” he added.
Not every Democrat is toeing the party line. Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine), one of the most conservative Democrats in Congress, said this week that his party is giving in to “the demands far-left groups are making” to shut the government down as a political display against President Trump.
CNN is not a NEWS organization. They cut off the Republican press conference to CENSOR the truth from the American people and LIE about indisputable FACTS:
On page 57 of the Democrat’s OWN bill – they insist we restore $200 BILLION in health care subsidies for illegal aliens.… pic.twitter.com/Aycaj1zopx
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) October 2, 2025
Democrat Rep. Jared Golden said his party’s shutdown is being “driven by the demands of far-left groups.”
Senator Ruben Gallego: “That’s a whole lot of gibberish…that’s BS”
Democrats are fighting with each other almost as hard as they’re fighting for illegal aliens. pic.twitter.com/8gFMYb6OyS
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 2, 2025
Golden, the only House Democrat to vote for the GOP’s stopgap bill earlier this month, warned that the shutdown is hurting Americans unnecessarily.
“Normal policy disagreements are no reason to subject our constituents to the continued harm of this shutdown,” he said, even while acknowledging he supports extending ACA tax credits and reversing Medicaid cuts.
His comments directly contradicted party leaders, who continue to claim Trump and Republicans are responsible for the funding lapse. Jeffries responded by insisting Democrats remain open to negotiation, saying: “Health care is not a partisan issue, it’s an American issue.”
But pressure from outside groups is making compromise harder. Liberal organizations such as the Working Families Party and MoveOn have mobilized phone banks and text campaigns urging Senate Democrats to “hold the line” and resist any deal with Republicans. Scripts provided to activists explicitly frame the shutdown as a fight to block Trump’s “health care cuts,” while threatening senators who might consider compromise with primary challenges.
That dynamic is already playing out in Golden’s district, where state Auditor Matthew Dunlap, a Democrat eyeing a primary run, accused him of “caving to Donald Trump” by voting with Republicans to keep the government open.
Republicans argue the left’s pressure campaign proves the shutdown is less about policy details and more about political theater. Vance suggested Democrats are beginning to crack.
“They realize it’s such a preposterous position to say, ‘We’re gonna shut down TSA, we’re gonna not pay our troops, because you guys won’t give us benefits for illegal aliens,’” he said.
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats continue to filibuster the House-passed resolution while demanding ACA subsidies be extended. Some moderates have suggested a deal could eventually emerge that links temporary funding with healthcare negotiations, but both sides remain far apart.
For Johnson, the dispute with CNN reflects a broader frustration with media coverage.
“They cut me off because they don’t want the American people to hear the truth,” he said. “But the facts are right there in black and white, in the Democrats’ own bill.”
This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
