Democrats apparently have no urgency to reopen the federal government, as they are planning to take part in a rally a week from now.

During an interview on Fox News, House Speaker Mike Johnson accused Democrats of “playing politics” with Americans’ lives amid the ongoing government shutdown.

“Chuck Schumer and the Democrats are playing politics with the lives of real American people. He’s getting accolades right now from the far left. That was the whole objective. They had to appease the Marxist base of the Democrat Party, and so they pick this fight right now. It is absurd,” Johnson argued.

After watching a clip of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., blaming Republicans for the shutdown, Johnson said it was “infuriating” to hear the New York Democrat stating “the opposite of the truth.”

“It was three weeks ago today, Brian, that the House voted to pay the troops, pay federal workers, and keep the government open. We passed a clean CR. Three weeks ago. The ball is in the Senate’s court. That’s where the duty must be done now,” Johnson argued.

Last Thursday, lawmakers voted late into the night on the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act. The bill moved forward with mostly joint votes. But the $925 billion package, which gives the Pentagon money, was pretty much the last thing the upper house did for the week.