House Dem defends viral clash with Johnson after Capitol confrontation over shutdown

Rep. Chrissy Holahan, D-Pa., defended her boycott of Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s news conference that went viral this week, saying her anger was justified because Johnson was not willing to negotiate with Democratic leaders to reopen the government.

GOP lawmakers argued that the two warring parties could agree on a budget resolution and negotiate public health care subsidies — which Democrats are holding out for — in the future. But Holahan indicated she disagreed despite Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer unveiling a plan Friday afternoon to extend the Obamacare subsidies in question for just one year and create a committee to further negotiate how the subsidies will be handled once the government opens.

“Because I think he’s our president and the speaker of the House and it’s important that he does his job,” Holahan responded when asked why she decided to boycott Johnson’s press conference. “As near as I can tell, in more than forty days [of the government shutdown]He did not answer a phone call and tried to speak to more than half of the country’s population.”

The congresswoman was then pressed: “Democrats can finish this in the Senate if they approve the bill and then deal with health care separately.” “Why do you see these connected?”

Schumer and Democrats unveil an alternative shutdown plan, and demand an extension of Obamacare support for a year

“I think they’re inextricably linked,” Holahan replied. “This is literally what health care is — people’s livelihoods and their ability to thrive in our country, and I think this is the time to have this conversation.”

Houlahan went on to say that the Trump administration is “slowly strangling the American people” and said it is “trying to complete the job” by shutting down the government.

“For the past nine months, this administration has been slowly strangling the American people,” she said. “The government shut down itself and now it’s trying to complete the job.”

When pressed further, Hoolahan’s staff stepped in and said she needed to go and couldn’t answer any more questions.

Thune says ‘the wheels are off’ as Republicans ponder next shutdown move

democracy went viral earlier this week when House Speaker Johnson’s news conference outside the Capitol briefly descended into chaos once she got into a heated argument with the Speaker of the House demanding a meeting with her caucus to end the shutdown. Hoolahan was mocked again, and at one point Johnson asked her to respect his free speech rights.

Democratic Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, right, breaks down House Speaker Mike Johnson’s daily government shutdown press conference on November 5, 2025. (Getty Images)

“You must respect freedom of expression,” Houlahan responded. “I’m asking you if you’re willing to have a conversation with the other side. You represent all of us. You’re the spokesman for all of us, sir.”

Johnson tried to receive a question from a reporter, but he told them: “I can’t hear you because we have someone who does not respect the rights of his colleagues.”

Meanwhile, Houlahan continued to shout into the megaphone even as he tried to impose order.

“You have an obligation not only to lie to the American people,” she shouted, “you have an obligation to call out the leadership of both parties and bring us together and solve this problem together.”

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The next day, Houlahan participated in her own Democratic press conference on the steps of the Capitol, during which there was no interruption, according to recordings posted online. During her comments, Holahan referred to the moment that unfolded between her and the speaker as a “dialogue.”

“I like to think of it as more of a dialogue than a confrontation,” she said of the exchange between the two during the press conference. “He reminded me and the American people that they have literally not sat down and talked with Democratic leaders since before the shutdown. They refuse to sit down with us, and they refuse to tell the American public the truth.”

Fox News Digital’s Elizabeth Elkind and Kelly Farris contributed to this report.