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The Republican House speaker the House leader charged Democrats are “lacking seriousness” during talks aimed at resolving the ongoing government closure, entering its fifth day and expected to last through next week or beyond.

Negotiations among the two major parties stalled over the weekend, with no votes anticipated to resolve the impasse. A recent poll revealed just 28% of Democratic voters and 23% of Republicans consider their party’s positions justifies a government shutdown.

In his comments with a national television show, the speaker claimed his chamber fulfilled its duties through approving legislation for government funding and now the responsibility lies with the Senate “to restart government operations so that everyone can do their work”. He charged the opposition with not participating “in a serious negotiation”.

“This strategy to get political cover because the Senate leader is afraid losing his upcoming election for Senate reelection because he’s going to be challenged from a left-wing contender from New York, as this is becoming trendy out there,” he remarked, mentioning a New York congresswoman who may be looking to challenge the Senate leader for the Senate position next year.

However, the minority leader, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, told the same program that a Republican senator lied last week when he claimed Democrats were being dishonest about their intentions related to medical coverage for undocumented immigrants.

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

Jeffries also responded to comments from the ex-president in a social media post labeling the Democratic party of “hate, evil, and Satan” alongside pictures of prominent Democrats, such as left-leaning lawmakers, the Democratic Senate leader, the former speaker, and the former president and first lady.

Questioned about continuing talks with the ex-leader, Jeffries responded the ex-president’s conduct “is outrageous, it’s unhinged, it’s unreasonable, and it speaks for itself. Citizens merit more than falsehoods, than attacks, than deepfake videos and the president spending all of his time on the golf course.”

Leaders of the political leadership haven’t engaged in official discussions for almost a week as both seek to secure political advantage before resuming negotiations.

Jeffries stated following their last discussion last Monday, “GOP leaders, along with the ex-president, have gone radio silent while Democratic leaders “will keep emphasizing, both the Senate leader and I, that we will sit down whenever and wherever, with anyone to address this issue with the earnestness that it deserves”.

The battle for high political ground persisted through Sunday with Johnson claiming that the potential of temporary federal employee furloughs, called furloughs, evolving into permanent dismissals “is a regrettable situation the administration wishes to avoid”.

A senior administration economic official ramped up pressure against Democrats, stating the administration will start mass layoffs of federal workers if the president decides discussions with the opposition are “absolutely going nowhere”.

The adviser told a Sunday talk show that the administration “are preparing measures and getting ready to act if necessary, but hoping to avoid it”. However, he suggested there’s a chance that Democrats might compromise.

“I believe all parties is still hopeful that when we get a new beginning early this week, that we can get the Democrats to see that it’s logical to avoid layoffs like that,” the adviser said.

However, concerns exist Democrats have walked into a trap. Johnson said on Sunday that the administration had asked the Democratic leadership to maintain government operations.

“In a situation like this, where the Senate Democrats choosing to hand the keys to the kingdom to the administration, they have to make difficult choices,” he said, pointing to the budget director.

The budget director, the speaker stated, “has to now look at all of the federal government, recognizing that funding sources are discontinued and decide which programs are essential, operations, and staff. This isn’t a task he enjoys. But he’s being required to perform it by the Democratic leader.”

The cycle of blame persisted as the Senate leader telling a news network that Johnson avoids discussing the actual problem, the healthcare crisis facing the American people. So he puts up all these fake lies to distract the public.”

But in an interview scheduled for Monday, Johnson informed another news network he views the problem of ending health subsidies – which Democrats prioritize in their bargaining stance – as one that can be addressed later.

“We have effectively a quarter-year for discussions with the administration and in Congress, that’s ample time,” Johnson remarked. “We need folks acting sincerely to come around the table and have that discussion. And we can’t do it during a government closure,” he added.

A prominent Democratic senator also speaking to the same news program was asked if his party delegates in the Senate would stay united following three Democrats defected to support GOP measures. He responded he was confident that “all Democrats understand that countless of their constituents are about to be priced out to medical care”.

“We need a president who can act like an adult, who can come to the table and resolve to this manufactured healthcare emergency,” the senator said. “Right now we don’t see that. We see the former president out on the golf course, we see the speaker telling his House colleagues not to even come to session, claiming no duties for government employees.”