US Republican leader warns government shutdown could be longest in history

"House Speaker Mike Johnson says that he will not negotiate with Democrats until they drop healthcare demands. Speaker of the United States House of Representatives Mike Johnson has said that the current government shutdown could become the longest in history, as an impasse between the Democrats and Republicans drags on with no end in sight. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Johnson, a Republican, said that he would not negotiate with Democratic lawmakers until they suspended policy demands related to healthcare, a dispute at the core of the shutdown."

"The administration of President Donald Trump has used the shutdown, now in its 13th day, as a pretext for pushing forward a series of cuts and layoffs to government services and agencies, although its legal authority to do so remains in dispute. Trump has plainly stated that such cuts will target his political rivals, saying last week that he would reduce Democrat programmes if the party refused to drop its demands on healthcare subsidies."

"Recent polls have shown that US voters blame Democrats, Republicans, and Trump himself in roughly equal measure for the shutdown. Democrats have called for an extension of subsidies under the Affordable Care Act that millions of people in the US rely on to buy healthcare plans. Republicans have said that the issue can be addressed after the government is reopened, but Democrats have expressed doubt that the Republicans will honour that pledge."

Mike Johnson refuses to negotiate with Democrats until they drop healthcare-related policy demands, deepening a government shutdown now in its 13th day. The shutdown could become one of the longest in U.S. history as partisan impasse persists. The Trump administration is using the shutdown to push cuts and layoffs to government services and agencies, with legal authority for such actions in dispute. Trump has indicated cuts would target political rivals if Democrats continue to press healthcare subsidy demands. Polls show voters place blame across Democrats, Republicans, and Trump. The Affordable Care Act subsidy extension remains a central contention.

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