Johnson says Schumer handed Trump 'keys to the kingdom' with government shutdown decision

Speaker Johnson says OMB Director Russ Vought will decide which services to prioritize during federal closure

Taylor Penley / FOXBusiness  

 

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., created a problematic government shutdown for the American people — but the move may have handed President Donald Trump the "keys to the kingdom."

"While a shutdown is very damaging for real American people who depend upon government services, it can provide an opportunity to downsize the scope and the scale of government, which is something that we've all always wanted to do," Johnson told "Mornings with Maria" on Wednesday.

"So, in a way, Chuck Schumer has now handed the keys to the kingdom to the executive branch under President Trump to do some things that we would not otherwise be able to do because we would never get Democrat votes for them." 

The House speaker accused Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) of taking "a partisan political stand for their own purposes" after the duo failed to bring "credible" arguments to their  meeting with President Trump. Read more and see videos here.