House Speaker Mike Johnson has circulated a memo urging Republicans to adopt a coordinated communications strategy in the event of a government shutdown.
Titled “Debunking the Democrats’ Shutdown Delusion,” the memo instructs GOP lawmakers to frame the issue as a battle over responsible funding—not partisan policy fights. It emphasizes that Republicans passed a “clean” short-term spending bill through Nov. 21 with no additional policy riders, and encourages members to challenge Democratic arguments head-on.
Johnson’s directive also advises against engaging in health care debates during the funding standoff, warning that Democrats are attempting to link the crises in government with separate policy disputes. GOP leadership hopes the messaging will help define public perception of blame should a shutdown occur.