Republican lawmakers are criticizing the upcoming nationwide protests against President Trump, claiming that Democrats are prioritizing far-left activism over resolving the ongoing government shutdown.
As the federal government shutdown continues due to spending disagreements, Republican lawmakers have intensified their criticism of the nationwide protests planned for Saturday against President Donald Trump. Many GOP leaders have dismissed these events as “Hate America” rallies, asserting that they reflect the influence of far-left activism.
The protests, part of the “No Kings” movement, are expected to draw hundreds of thousands of participants across various cities in the United States. Several congressional Democrats have indicated their intention to attend, further fueling Republican claims that the demonstrations are politically motivated.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., expressed skepticism about whether Democratic leaders would be more open to negotiating a resolution to the shutdown after the protests. “It’ll be a collection of wild leftist policy priorities, and that’ll be on display for the whole country,” Johnson told Fox Business Network. “After that’s over, I hope there’s a few Democrats over here who will come to their senses and return to governing the country.” He added that he doubted Democrats would make any concessions before the rallies concluded, fearing backlash from their supporters.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., sidestepped a question about his attendance at the rallies, stating, “I haven’t finalized my schedule for the weekend given, you know, the sensitivities around the government shutdown.” He emphasized his support for Americans’ rights to express dissent against what he described as an “out-of-control administration.”
In contrast, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., confirmed his attendance at one of the protests, as did House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif. Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, speculated that more prominent Democratic figures would likely attend but echoed Johnson’s hope that they would be willing to negotiate afterward.
“My guess is if they don’t want a primary from the left, they’ll probably find a way to sneak it into their schedule,” Nunn remarked. “The real question is, do they have the fortitude after Saturday to come back and open up the government?”
House GOP leaders have criticized the rallies during their daily press conferences throughout the week. Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., accused Schumer of being “more concerned” with appeasing the protestors than with resolving the ongoing issues surrounding the shutdown. House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., suggested that the protests were influencing Democratic lawmakers’ decisions. “The rumor is that they can’t end the shutdown beforehand because a small but very violent and vocal group is the only one that’s happy about this,” Emmer stated.
He continued, “If they shut it down beforehand, then they’ve got to deal with that group beforehand. If they make it through that, then at least they’ve made it through their Hate America rally, and then they can get this thing done.”
Last month, the House passed a bill to keep the federal government funded at current levels through November 21, known as a continuing resolution (CR). However, this measure has failed ten times in the Senate, with a majority of Democrats rejecting any spending deal that does not include an extension of COVID-19 pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year without congressional action.
As the protests approach, the political landscape remains tense, with both parties entrenched in their positions. The outcome of the demonstrations and their potential impact on the ongoing shutdown negotiations remains to be seen.
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