Mike Johnson Corrected Over Government Shutdown Claims Live on Air

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Newsweek

Published Oct 01, 2025 at 04:00 AM EDT
updated Oct 01, 2025 at 05:38 AM EDT


House Speaker Mike Johnson was corrected live on air over claims Democrats tried to give those in the U.S. illegal access to health care as part of their negotiations to avoid a government shutdown.

The U.S. government shut down after the Senate adjourned Tuesday evening without passing a funding resolution, with both parties failing to agree on each others funding proposals needed to keep all federal operations running. Speaking hours before the shutdown went into effect, Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, clashed with CNN's Kaitlan Collins about the Democrats' funding proposal.

"The point about giving people who are here illegally is not exactly what is in their [Democrats'] proposal," Collins said. "It's immigrants who have legal status." Johnson replied: "No, Kaitlin you're wrong." Collins responded that she had read the proposal. Newsweek contacted Johnson by email to comment on this story outside of normal business hours.

Why It Matters

The interview highlights concerns about misinformation in U.S. politics. It also highlights the complexity of the policies put forth and the potential for them to be misunderstood or misrepresented, though there is no suggestion that this was Johnson's intention.

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/mike-johnson-corrected-over-government-shutdown-claims-live-on-air-10808795

[IronLionZion]

1. Republicans spew easily disproven lies because they think Americans are too stupid to check

Their own voters are too stupid to check or care. They choose to believe complete falsehoods to justify their own hate.

[CountMyVote4Reality]

4. Nudge. Nudge. Wink. Wink.

“It also highlights the complexity of the policies put forth and the potential for them to be misunderstood or misrepresented, though there is no suggestion that this was Johnson's intention.”

[KPN]

5. Yeah, even f'g Newsweek. Years ago, it was my

go to rag, So disheartening.

[IronLionZion]

13. The first part is factual, the second might be satire or sarcasm

to avoid liability if he sues them. It's hard to prove malicious intent even though we liberals know he's malicious.

[azureblue]

14. IOW

Repubs don't read the bills. Pedo Mike's response is an admission he doesn't use his staff to review bills and tell him the content, if he doesn't read them himself. All he is, is a poser. Incompetent, at best.
It's in contrast with Democratic legislators who pay attention to what's in the bill, instead of spewing the day's talking points..

[Ace Rothstein]

27. It isn't because he didn't read the bill.

He's intentionally lying, all the Republicans are. They know the public at large would not be happy with tax money being used for Healthcare for illegal immigrants so they lie about the Democrats intentions.

[radicalleft]

19. Allow me to correct your post title...( :-) )

Republicans spew easily disproven lies because they KNOW Americans are too stupid to check

[Champp]

2. Wow, a journalist finally corrected a Republican lie

stunning

[Bengus81]

3. Don't worry Mike...FOX will still run your lie over and over and over...........

[drmeow]

6. "though there is no suggestion that this was Johnson's intention"

Oh, PUH-LEASE!

[Diraven]

7. Yeah, right

He either lied or he doesn't know what's in bill. Which one is worse?

[Wiz Imp]

8. "though there is no suggestion that this was Johnson's intention" Really?????

Seriously????? Collins called him out on a flat out lie which he knew was a lie, but there's no suggestion his intention was to mislead or misinform????? OMG, then what was his intention for spewing a lie which was easily proven to be a lie?????

The perfect encapsulation of our media - the GOP Speaker intentionally lies about Democrats' position (easily proven) in order to smear Democrats and influence public opinion, but the media covers for the GOP and says there's no suggestion that their intention was to lie. Absolutely Pathetic.

[azureblue]

15. If he is under informed,

then all he is doing is parroting lies. And he know she is - his weasel response is the tell.

[tonekat]

9. Just go to Healthcare.gov

And look up "Legal Status" and it says you have to be here legally to get admitted to the Marketplace. There's even a statement that DACA status is no longer eligible.
He's just a little punk liar.

[CrispyQ]

10. Here's what I found yesterday trying to debunk some rw bs on FB.

Some states did offer health insurance coverage for income-eligible undocumented workers, but that was at a state level, not federal.

Google AI:

As of September 2025, 14 states plus D.C. provide state-funded comprehensive health coverage for income-eligible children regardless of immigration status. Additionally, California, Illinois, New York, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, and D.C. offer fully state-funded coverage to some income-eligible adults, with California's program expanding to all adults starting January 1, 2026.

================
NYT:
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/29/us/politics/republicans-shutdown-fact-check-health-immigration.html

snip...

The Democrats’ budget proposal seeks to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year, and roll back Medicaid cuts in the tax cut and domestic policy law signed by President Trump in July. But the proposal does not provide free health care for unauthorized immigrants.

Unauthorized immigrants are largely barred from federally funded health care programs. They cannot buy health care plans on government exchanges set up by the Affordable Care Act and therefore cannot receive any subsidies. They are also ineligible for Medicaid, Medicare and the Children’s Health Insurance Program. The Democrats’ budget proposal does not make them eligible for these programs.

[samsingh]

11. I thought Christians were not supported to lie

[azureblue]

16. or steal

or commit adultery. Or refuse to help the less fortunate, under penalty of eternal damnation (Jesus said that).
He has no integrity.

[Clouds Passing]

12. When a republican has their mouth open they are lying.

[Orrex]

17. That's been a sacred Reichwing talking point for years

And when confronted with reality, they snort and guffaw and double down.

[Mysterian]

18. Collins will be fired for daring to challenge to the unter-fuhrer

The new CNN boss will not tolerate disrespect of the reich's leaders!

[IzzaNuDay]

20. At this point, release the Grindr Johnson files

He can’t be possibly distracted from a government shutdown, eh?

[OldBaldy1701E]

21. I feel that we need to stop calling it 'misinformation' and star calling it 'ignorance'.

Because anyone who believes this crap is ignorant. We need to stop with the 'politically acceptable' speech.

So, it won't be, "You have been misinformed.", it will be, "You are ignorant of the facts."

Keep hammering that word every time you hear any rethug or their orange false idol say what they usually spew.

"That is an ignorant position to take."

"The President made an ignorant statement on Fox News today..."

[republianmushroom]

22. Mikey is one of trumps pimps.

[Wednesdays]

23. Gaslighting 101

"What's in the proposal isn't what you see what's in the proposal!"

[patphil]

24. I'm amazed how easily, and shamelessly, Republicans lie.

Mike Johnson is an accomplished liar. His callous disregard for truth sets him up into the higher echelons of Republican liars.
The sad part is that, even when the truth is easily shown, they continue to lie. They know that their Republican base is a very uncurious lot. They don't look for truth. They only look for that which they want to find; what they expect their leadership to tell them, regardless of how far it is from the truth.
So, millions of Americans will believe the Democrats want illegal immigrants to have free healthcare.
Again, the sad part is that Republicans don't want anyone to have any subsidized healthcare at all. It takes away from the money they want to give to their wealth donors.
So all they have to do is convince their base that it's always the Democrats fault...an easy task considering their base already believes that to be the case.
It's Biden's fault, or Obama's fault, or Hillary's fault...just pick one and their base will nod in agreement.

[tinymontgomery]

25. George Stephanopoulos pushed back pretty hard

George Stephanopoulos pushed back pretty hard on Johnson on Good Morning America this morning. Was nice to see.

[underpants]

26. I was just about to post that. X and text

Stephanopoulos: “The Democratic proposal is designed to prevent millions of Americans from losing their health insurance, losing Medicaid coverage, or paying higher health care premiums. Why are you against that?”

Johnson: “That's an absurd statement.”

Stephanopoulos: “Here are the facts. The proposal does not provide health care for illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants cannot buy health care under the Affordable Care Act. They cannot receive health care subsidies. Immigrants are ineligible for Medicare, Medicaid, and the Children's Health Program. The Democratic bill does not make them eligible.”

Link to tweet

?s=46&t=3VBm1LJ8j8qLp6JTs_8J2A

[angrychair]

28. News media still pandering

though there is no suggestion that this was Johnson's intention

It's not a suggestion. It's exactly what he intended to do and he fully expected the news media to help him. He would NOT have spoken such a flagrant lie if he didn't assume the press wasn't already helping him run interference.