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The Republican House speaker the House leader asserted that the opposing party are “not serious” in negotiations to end the ongoing government closure, now on its fifth day and expected to last into next week or longer.

Negotiations among the two major parties stalled over the weekend, with no votes anticipated to resolve the impasse. Survey data indicated just 28% of Democratic voters along with 23% of GOP supporters consider their party’s positions justifies a government shutdown.

In his comments with a national television show, the speaker claimed the House fulfilled its duties by passing a measure to keep the government financed and now the responsibility lies with the Senate “to turn the lights back on so that everyone can do their work”. He charged the opposition with not participating “in a serious negotiation”.

“This strategy for political protection since the Democratic leader is afraid that he won’t win his next re-election bid for Senate reelection facing a challenge from a left-wing contender in New York, as this is becoming trendy out there,” he remarked, referring to a New York congresswoman who may be looking to challenge the Senate leader for his seat in the coming election.

But Johnson’s counterpart, the opposition leader, responded on the same show that a GOP legislator lied last week when he claimed that Democrats weren’t truthful regarding their goals concerning healthcare benefits for immigrants without documentation.

“GOP members are deceitful because they’re losing in public support,” Jeffries stated, noting his party was “advocating for medical care of hard-working American taxpayers, for labor-class citizens, of middle-class Americans”.

The minority leader also addressed to comments from the ex-president on a social platform in which he called Democrats the party of “hate, evil, and Satan” accompanied by images of prominent Democrats, including progressive representatives, the Democratic Senate leader, the former speaker, and the ex-president and his wife.

Questioned about continuing talks with the ex-leader, Jeffries responded the president’s behavior “is shocking, it’s irrational, it’s unreasonable, and is self-explanatory. Citizens merit more than falsehoods, than attacks, than deepfake videos and the president spending excessive time on the golf course.”

Top political figures have not had formal talks for almost a week while both parties attempt to gain a political edge before resuming negotiations.

The minority leader mentioned that since that meeting last Monday, “Republicans, along with the ex-president, have gone radio silent and the Democratic party leadership “will continue to make clear, both the Senate leader and I, that we are ready to meet any time, any place, with anyone to resolve this matter with the seriousness that it deserves”.

The battle for high political ground continued on Sunday as Johnson stated that the potential of temporary federal employee furloughs, known as furloughs, hardening into permanent job layoffs “is an unfortunate circumstance that the president does not want”.

A senior administration economic official increased pressure on Democrats, saying the White House may initiate widespread job cuts among government employees if the president decides discussions with the opposition are “absolutely going nowhere”.

The adviser told a national news program that the administration “are lining things up and ready to take action if they have to, but hoping to avoid it”. But he predicted it is possible that Democrats might compromise.

“I believe all parties is still hopeful that when we get a new beginning early this week, we can persuade the Democrats to see that it’s logical to prevent job losses of that nature,” the adviser said.

But some fear Democrats have walked into a trap. Johnson said on Sunday that the administration had asked the Democratic leadership to maintain government operations.

“Under these circumstances, where the Senate Democrats have decided to turn the keys to the kingdom over to the White House, they must take difficult choices,” he explained, referencing the budget director.

The budget director, Johnson said, “must now examine all of the federal government, acknowledging funding sources are discontinued and decide which programs are essential, policies, and personnel. This isn’t a task that he relishes. But he’s being required to do it by the Senate leader.”

The spirit of mutual recrimination persisted as the Senate leader telling a news network Johnson “doesn’t want to discuss the real issue, the healthcare crisis facing the American people. Therefore he creates false narratives to try and divert attention.”

However, during a discussion set to broadcast on Monday, Johnson told another news network he considers the issue of expiring healthcare subsidies – that Democrats place central to their negotiating position – as something resolvable later.

“We have effectively a quarter-year for discussions with the administration and in the hall of Congress, that’s ample time,” Johnson remarked. “We require participants in good faith to come around the table and hold those talks. And we can’t do it during a government closure,” he added.

A prominent Democratic senator also speaking to a Sunday show was asked if his party delegates in the Senate remain unified following three Democrats broke away to vote with Republicans. He responded he was confident that “all Democrats understand that millions and millions of their constituents risk losing access to medical care”.

“We need a president who can act like an adult, who can come to the table and negotiate an end to this manufactured healthcare emergency,” he stated. “Currently this isn’t evident. We see the former president golfing frequently, we notice the House leader instructing representatives not to even come to session, claiming no duties for government employees.”