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Speaker Johnson Slams ‘Desperate’ Hakeem Jeffries’ Call for Televised Shutdown Debate
by Margaret Flavin
Oct. 6, 2025 12:45 pm
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) slammed Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) for his ‘desperate’ call for a televised debate on the Democrat shutdown.
On Monday, minority leader Jeffries wrote to Johnson to challenge him to a debate on the House floor “any day this week.” He wants the debate to be broadcast live “to the American people.”
Johnson shot down the suggestion, calling the move a “publicity stunt.”
Johnson spoke to reporters following his remarks regarding the shutdown.
Watch:
Today I summarized for America the very simple facts about the Democrat shutdown. Not a single one of them can refute the evidence I’ve presented here. pic.twitter.com/t8bdqBhoaP
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) October 6, 2025
Following Johnson’s comments, a reporter asked, “Jeffries challenged you to a debate! Will you?”
Johnson responded, “When the poll says that about 13% of the people approve of your messaging, then you make desperate pleas for attention, and that’s what Hakeem Jeffries has done.”
“We debated all this on the House floor. As you know, before we passed our bill, he spoke for seven or eight minutes. He had all of his colleagues lined up. They gave it their best shot, and they argued, and they stomped their feet and screamed at us and all that.”
“And still we passed the bill in bipartisan fashion and sent it over to the Senate.”
Mike Johnson ends Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer
REPORTER: Jeffries challenged you to a debate! Will you?
JOHNSON: “When the polls say that 13% of the people approve of your messaging, then you make desperate pleas for attention – and that’s what Hakeem Jeffries has… pic.twitter.com/xD0VHYtQPT
— Martin Walsh (@martinwalsh__) October 6, 2025
Jeffries has not fared well when trying to defend the Democrat shutdown, even in friendly territory with the legacy media.
The Today Show’s Craig Melvin called him out on his hypocrisy, noting, “That’s exactly what you’re doing right now. Hundreds of thousands of workers are being held hostage.”
Hakeem Jeffries continues to get CALLED OUT over his government shutdown hypocrisy.
MELVIN: “That’s exactly what you’re doing right now. Hundreds of thousands of workers are being held hostage.”
Democrats are holding the government hostage to push their far-left agenda. pic.twitter.com/QvwOcevFqX
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 6, 2025
On Sunday, NBC’s Kristen Welker reminded Jeffries that the Democrats own the shutdown saying, “”It’s Democratic Senators who are withholding their votes on what is called a clean resolution…which is something quite frankly … that you and other Democrats have advocated for in the past.”
Even NBC is calling out Democrats over their government shutdown hypocrisy
WELKER: “It’s Democratic Senators who are withholding their votes on what is called a clean resolution…which is something quite frankly … that you and other Democrats have advocated for in the past.” pic.twitter.com/BBDZBafH1a
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) October 5, 2025
On Monday morning, Johnson noted, “Democrats have chosen a government shutdown over the American people. Instead of joining Republicans in passing a clean, responsible continuing resolution to keep the government open, Democrats are siding with their far-left base — demanding $1.5 trillion in new partisan spending and nearly $200 billion in taxpayer benefits for illegal aliens. The result is a costly, self-inflicted shutdown that most Americans oppose, and that even some Democrats admit will hurt working families across the country.”
“According to the New York Times/Siena Poll, 65% of Americans say Democrats should NOT have shut down the government over partisan demands. Even among Democrats, less than half support their own party’s strategy. Independents oppose it nearly 2-to-1.”
House Dems Anonymously Roast Hakeem Jeffries for Challenging Mike Johnson to Debate.
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From The Gateway Pundit
Link:
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/202...all-televised/
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