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Republican lawmakers have spent the past week escalating their attacks on Saturday of nationwide protests against President Donald Trump, which many GOP leaders described as “hate-America” rallies.
Cities across the country are expected to see hundreds of thousands of people turn out for the No Kings movement, with several Democrats in Congress even saying they will attend.
Republicans have seized on the protests as a product of far-left activism, while at the same time saying Democrats have stood firm against a GOP plan to end the government shutdown in an attempt to please the far-left base.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Los Angeles, told Fox Business he hopes Democratic leaders who attended will be more willing to accept the GOP plan after the demonstrations end — but he did not sound overly optimistic.
A shouting match broke out between Hakeem Jeffries and Mike Lawler as the government shutdown chaos continues
House Speaker Mike Johnson and other House GOP leaders are using Saturday’s “No Kings” rallies as a political cudgel amid the government shutdown. (David McNew/Getty Images; Rod Lamke Jr./AP Photos)
“This will be a set of wild left policy priorities, and it will be presented to the entire country,” Johnson said. “And after this is over, I hope there will be a few Democrats here who will come to their senses and go back to governing the country.”
“Right now, I don’t think — it’s hypothetical and our assumption is that they’re not going to make that concession before this rally is over because they don’t want to face the angry mob. I mean it’s sad, but that’s where we are.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., dodged a question about whether he would attend one of Friday’s rallies, telling reporters: “I haven’t finalized my schedule for the weekend, given the sensitivities around the government shutdown, you know. I’m still very hopeful that Republicans will decide to show up for work so we can reopen the government.”
“But I support the right of every American to participate in the marches that will be held this week and to show up to express opposition against an out-of-control administration,” he said.
However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he would attend one of the protests, as did House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar, D-Calif.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats remain unwilling to budge on their position as the shutdown continues. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)
Rep. Zach Nunn, Republican of Iowa, predicted that more prominent Democratic figures would leave, but, like Johnson, he indicated hope that they would acquiesce to Republican demands when things were over.
“I think if they don’t want a left-wing primary, they’ll probably find a way to sneak it into their agenda. The real question will be: Do they have the fortitude after Saturday to come back and open the government?” Noon told Fox News Digital earlier this week.
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“They should do it today. But if they feel they have to appease their base, they better come to Jesus on Sunday and figure out a way to help them get back to the work of caring for the American people.”
House GOP leaders also criticized the marches at nearly every daily news conference this week.
Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Los Angeles, said Friday that Schumer was “more concerned” with impressing the “hate-America” crowd that will be here tomorrow than with not solving all our problems tomorrow.
“No Kings” protests against the Trump administration are expected to be held in cities nationwide on October 18, 2025. (Ringo Chiu/AFP via Getty Images)
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“The rumor is that they can’t end the lockdown beforehand, because a small but very violent and vocal group is the only group that’s happy about it,” Minnesota Rep. Tom Emmer told Fox News Channel’s Maria Bartiromo on Tuesday of the marches’ place in the lockdown fight.
“If they shut it down beforehand, they’ll have to deal with that group beforehand. And if they make it through that, at least they’ve made it through their hate-America caucus, and then they can get this thing done,” Emmer said.
The House passed a bill to keep federal government funding at current levels through Nov. 21, called a continuing resolution (CR), mostly along party lines last month.
It has since failed 10 times in the Senate, where a majority of Democrats have rejected any spending deal that does not also include an extension of coronavirus pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies that will expire at the end of this year without congressional action.