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The Republican House speaker Mike Johnson charged the opposing party of being “not serious” during talks to end the federal government shutdown, now on its fifth day with projections indicating it will continue through next week or beyond.

Talks between the two major parties stalled over the weekend, with no votes anticipated to resolve the impasse. A recent poll found just 28% of Democratic voters along with 23% of GOP supporters consider their party’s positions justifies a government shutdown.

In his comments on a major news program, the speaker claimed the House had done its work through approving legislation for government funding but now it was up to the Senate “to restart government operations enabling federal employees to resume work”. He charged the opposition with not participating “in a serious negotiation”.

“This strategy for political protection because the Democratic leader fears losing his upcoming election for Senate reelection facing a challenge from a left-wing contender in New York, because that’s the new popular thing in politics,” he said, referring to a New York congresswoman who may be looking to challenge the Senate leader for the Senate position next year.

But Johnson’s counterpart, the opposition leader, told the same program that a Republican senator made false statements recently by asserting Democrats were being dishonest about their intentions concerning healthcare benefits for immigrants without documentation.

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

The minority leader also addressed to remarks from the ex-president on a social platform labeling the Democratic party as malicious and destructive alongside pictures of prominent Democrats, including left-leaning lawmakers, 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 ex-president’s conduct “is outrageous, it’s unhinged, it’s unjustifiable, and it speaks for itself. Citizens deserve better than falsehoods, hostilities, manipulated media and a leader devoting all of his time on the golf course.”

Top political figures haven’t engaged in official discussions 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 gone radio silent and the Democratic party leadership “will keep emphasizing, both the Senate leader and I, that we will sit down whenever and wherever, with anyone to resolve this matter with the seriousness it requires”.

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

A top White House economic adviser increased pressure on Democrats, saying the administration may initiate widespread job cuts of federal workers should the leader determine negotiations with Democrats have “completely stalled”.

The official stated on a Sunday talk show that the president and budget director “are preparing measures and getting ready to act if necessary, but hoping to avoid it”. However, he suggested it is possible that Democrats could back down.

“I believe all parties is still hopeful that with a fresh start early this week, that we can get Democrats to recognize that it’s just common sense to prevent job losses like that,” the adviser said.

But some fear that Democrats fell into a trap. The speaker stated Sunday that the president requested Democratic leaders to maintain government operations.

“Under these circumstances, where the Senate Democrats choosing to hand the keys to the kingdom to the administration, they have to make tough decisions,” he said, pointing to the budget director.

The budget director, the speaker stated, “has to now look at the entire government, recognizing that funding sources are discontinued and determine which programs are essential, policies, and staff. This isn’t a task he enjoys. But he’s compelled to perform it by the Democratic leader.”

The spirit of mutual recrimination persisted as the Senate leader telling a news network Johnson “doesn’t want to discuss the actual problem, the medical care crisis affecting citizens. So he puts up all these fake lies to try and divert attention.”

However, during a discussion set to broadcast on Monday, Johnson told another news network he considers the problem of ending health subsidies – that Democrats place central in their bargaining stance – as something resolvable later.

“We have effectively three months to negotiate in the White House and in Congress, that’s like an eternity,” Johnson remarked. “We need folks in good faith to come around the table and hold those talks. This cannot happen when the government is shut down,” he added.

A leading Senate Democrat also speaking to a Sunday show was questioned whether his party members in the Senate would stay united following three Democrats broke away to vote with Republicans. The senator said he was confident that all party members recognize that millions and millions of their constituents risk losing access to medical care”.

“We require a leader who behaves maturely, who can come to the table and resolve to this manufactured healthcare emergency,” he stated. “Right now we don’t see that. We observe the ex-leader golfing frequently, we notice the House leader telling his House colleagues to skip legislative sessions, claiming no duties for the federal government to do.”