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GOP legislative leader the House leader asserted that Democrats are “lacking seriousness” during talks aimed at resolving the ongoing government closure, now on its fifth day and expected to last into next week or longer.

Talks between the opposing political parties stalled over the weekend, and no legislative action expected to end the standoff. Survey data indicated only 28% of Democrats along with 23% of GOP supporters believe their party’s stance justifies a government shutdown.

During an interview on a major news program, the speaker claimed the House had done its work by passing a measure for government funding and now the responsibility lies with the Senate “to restart government operations enabling federal employees to resume work”. He accused Democrats of failing to engage “in a serious negotiation”.

“They’re doing this to get political cover since the Democratic leader fears losing his upcoming election in the Senate because he’s going to be challenged from a left-wing contender in New York, because that’s the new popular thing in politics,” he said, referring to the Bronx representative who may be looking to challenge the incumbent senator for his seat in the coming election.

However, the minority leader, the opposition leader, told the same program that a GOP legislator lied last week by asserting Democrats were being dishonest regarding their goals concerning healthcare benefits for immigrants without documentation.

“GOP members are deceitful because they’re losing in public support,” Jeffries said, and added that Democrats are “advocating for medical care for American workers, for labor-class citizens, for the middle class”.

Jeffries also responded to comments by the former president on a social platform labeling Democrats the party of “hate, evil, and Satan” alongside pictures of party figures, including left-leaning lawmakers, the Senate leader, the former speaker, and the ex-president and his wife.

When asked about continuing talks with the former president, Jeffries said the president’s behavior “is outrageous, it’s irrational, it’s unreasonable, and it speaks for itself. Citizens merit more than lies, hostilities, than deepfake videos and a leader devoting all of his time on the golf course.”

Leaders of the political leadership have not had formal talks for almost a week while both parties attempt to secure political advantage before resuming negotiations.

Jeffries stated following their last discussion earlier this week, “Republicans, including the former president, have ceased communication and the Democratic party leadership “will continue to make clear, both the Senate leader and I, that we will sit down whenever and wherever, with anyone to resolve this matter with the seriousness that it deserves”.

The struggle for political advantage continued on Sunday as Johnson stated that the potential of temporary federal employee furloughs, called furloughs, hardening into permanent job layoffs “is an unfortunate circumstance the administration wishes to avoid”.

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

The official stated on a Sunday talk show that the administration “are lining things up and getting ready to act if they have to, but hoping to avoid it”. However, he suggested it is possible that Democrats might compromise.

“I think that everybody remain optimistic that with a new beginning early this week, that we can get Democrats to recognize that it’s logical to avoid layoffs like that,” the adviser said.

But some fear Democrats have walked into a trap. Johnson said on Sunday that the president requested Democratic leaders to keep the government open.

“In a situation like this, with Senate Democrats choosing to hand the keys to the kingdom over to the White House, they have to make tough decisions,” he said, pointing to the budget director.

The management official, Johnson said, “has to now look at all of the federal government, recognizing that the funding streams have been turned off and decide what are essential programs, policies, and personnel. This isn’t a task he enjoys. But he’s being required to do it by the Senate leader.”

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

But in an interview set to broadcast on Monday, Johnson told a different network he considers the issue of expiring healthcare subsidies – which Democrats prioritize to their negotiating position – as one that can be addressed later.

“We essentially have a quarter-year for discussions in the White House and in Congress, that’s like an eternity,” Johnson said. “We require participants acting sincerely to negotiate together and have that discussion. This cannot happen during a government closure,” he added.

A leading Senate Democrat appearing on a Sunday show was asked whether his party members in the Senate remain unified after three Democratic senators broke away to vote with Republicans. The senator said expressing confidence that all party members recognize that countless of their voters risk losing access to medical care”.

“We need a president who behaves maturely, who can come to the table and negotiate an end to this manufactured healthcare emergency,” the senator said. “Right now we don’t see that. We observe the ex-leader out on the golf course, we notice the House leader telling his House colleagues to skip legislative sessions, that there’s no work for government employees.”