Trump, Johnson Disagree on Military Pay Bill Amid Shutdown

11 HOURS AGO·UPDATED 11 HOURS AGO

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Above: U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) gives an interview at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 8, 2025. Image copyright: Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg/Getty Images

The Spin

Republican narrative

Republicans are not playing Democrat games. The government must be fully funded without radical healthcare subsidies. GOP leaders have urged avoiding drastic cuts and even told Trump not to fire government workers, showing a willingness to negotiate. Democrats' refusal to budge, holding the government hostage over subsidies, is the real obstruction. Republicans prioritize fiscal responsibility and public trust.

The Wall Street Journal

Democratic narrative

The Democrats are not asking for radical subsidy changes; they're only trying to maintain Affordable Care Act protections to ensure middle-class Americans don't pay thousands more in premiums. This shutdown, and the financial stress it has on military families, never would've happened if Republicans simply cared more about affordable health insurance.

MSNBC

Progressive narrative

The government shutdown, though painful, could finally check Trump's dangerous overreach. His administration's attacks — chemical munitions on protesters, zip-tying children, weaponizing federal forces against citizens — show a government turned against its people. Democrats must hold firm, refusing to fund this rogue executive. The shutdown forces accountability, exposing GOP complicity. It's a brutal but necessary stand to protect democracy.

The New Republic

Libertarian narrative

Both parties use shutdown theatrics to dodge the real crisis — a $30 trillion debt and exploding interest costs. Shutdowns don't cut spending or reform entitlements like Social Security and Medicare, which drive the deficit. They're noisy distractions, masking bipartisan failure to tackle unsustainable spending. While Congress bickers, taxpayers face a looming fiscal reckoning that dwarfs these temporary stunts.

Cato