Democrat interrupts GOP shutdown press conference in heated exchange

House Republican leaders’ daily news conference on the government shutdown briefly descended into chaos Wednesday when a Democratic lawmaker interrupted the event.

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., a moderate Democrat, shared a heated exchange with Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., after he squashed his remarks outside the U.S. Capitol while demanding he meet with his caucus to end the shutdown.

Johnson told him, “You have to respect free speech,” to which Houlahan replied, “You have to respect free speech.”

“I’m asking you if you’re ready to have a conversation with the other side,” Houlahan shouted from where reporters were gathered at the news conference. “You represent us all. You are the spokesperson for us all, sir.”

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Democratic Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, right, crashes during President Mike Johnson’s daily news conference on the government shutdown, November 5, 2025. (Tom Brenner/Getty Images; Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Johnson attempted to answer a reporter’s question but told him: “I can’t hear you because we have someone who doesn’t respect the rights of his colleagues.”

Meanwhile, Houlahan kept shouting over the loudspeaker even as he tried to call for order.

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

House GOP Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain, R-Mich., countered: “You have an obligation!”

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“We did it before the shutdown started. I went to the White House. We went and sat in front of the Resolute office. We brought in (House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.) and we had a discussion,” Johnson responded.

“The president said, ‘Please don’t shut down the government, that would cause all this pain to the American people.’ This has never happened before. This is a clear, nonpartisan CR that all Democrats, including you, voted no on,” he said.

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa., is interrupted by Capitol Police while questioning House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., during a House Republican news conference on the government shutdown on the House steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Nov. 5, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Houlahan retorted: “You are absolutely distorting history, sir, and you know that to be the case, and you are unnecessarily dividing the American people.”

The two continued to talk, with Johnson accusing Houlahan of “regretting” his vote.

“No, sir, I don’t regret anything. It’s important that we work together and unite,” she replied.

Johnson said: “I appreciate your input. Now someone is asking me a real question.”

“I like you too,” she finished.

Shutdown sparks strategic debate: Will Trump and Republicans pay the political price in 2026?

Tensions are high on the 36th day of the government shutdown, which is now the longest such standoff in U.S. history.

It was Johnson’s first news conference after Democrats’ sweeping victories Tuesday night in elections in Virginia, New Jersey and New York.

Republicans expected Democrats’ resolve to weaken due to a lack of funding for food aid programs and salaries for air traffic controllers, but Tuesday night’s victories appear to have also emboldened some on the left.

The government is paralyzed after Congress fails to reach an agreement on federal funding. (Getty Images)

The House passed a short-term federal funding bill Sept. 19 aimed at giving lawmakers until Nov. 21 to reach an agreement on fiscal 2026 spending levels.

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But at least a few Democrats are needed to advance the bill in the Senate, where it has failed 14 times due to the left’s demand that any funding deal be coupled with an extension of COVID-19 pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of this year.

Republicans argue that federal funding and health care are issues that must be considered separately.