Washington, D.C. — In a move that’s raising eyebrows across the political spectrum, House Speaker Mike Johnson has accused New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani of bearing responsibility for the ongoing government shutdown — even as Johnson himself has declined to reconvene the House to resolve the crisis.
The claim, made during a press briefing Monday, has been widely described as “bizarre,” with critics saying Johnson is attempting to deflect blame amid growing frustration over stalled negotiations.
“This shutdown didn’t happen by accident,” Johnson said. “It’s the result of radical policies and reckless rhetoric coming from people like Zohran Mamdani, who think government dysfunction is a political weapon.”
Mamdani, a progressive state assemblyman running a grassroots campaign for New York City mayor, has no formal connection to federal budget proceedings — a fact that has only intensified backlash toward Johnson’s comments.
Democrats and even some Republicans privately acknowledged that Johnson’s remarks seemed more like political theater than serious policy analysis. “It’s a strange thing to say,” one GOP strategist admitted. “Zohran Mamdani doesn’t have a vote in Congress. The Speaker does.”
The shutdown entered its third week on Monday, with hundreds of thousands of federal workers either furloughed or working without pay. Essential services have begun to feel the strain, and pressure is mounting on Johnson to recall members of the House from their six-week recess to negotiate a deal.
Instead, Johnson appeared to double down, accusing Democrats of “using chaos as strategy” while defending his decision to keep Congress out of session.
“We’ll return when there’s something worth returning for,” he said.
Mamdani, for his part, responded sharply on social media:
“The Speaker of the House blames a local mayoral candidate for a federal shutdown he caused himself. That tells you everything you need to know about accountability in Washington.”
Political analysts say the episode highlights the growing desperation inside Republican leadership as the shutdown drags on. With public opinion polls showing a majority of Americans blaming the GOP, Johnson’s attempt to shift focus onto a local New York politician may have backfired.
“This isn’t strategy — it’s scapegoating,” said one senior political analyst. “When the House is silent and paychecks stop, voters don’t care who you try to blame. They care that you’re not doing your job.”
As the standoff continues, even allies are beginning to question Johnson’s grip on the narrative — and his leadership. Whether or not the Speaker’s latest comments were meant as deflection or distraction, they’ve only deepened the perception that Washington’s problems start at the top.
