House Speaker Mike Johnson continued to blast Democrats for the government shutdown Thursday, and warned their plan could backfire - arguing they’re handing “the keys to the kingdom” to former President Donald Trump, who’s poised to unleash layoffs and funding cuts. The speaker says the government shutdown gives President Donald Trump and his budget director vast power over the federal government. And Johnson argues, while "they take no pleasure in this," the White House will be quick in implementing Republican priorities while simultaneously targeting Democratic programs. "When they are tasked with determining what their priorities are, obviously, they're going to follow their principles and priorities and not the other team. That's the results of an election that everybody voted in, the popular election in electoral college," Johnson said. The White House is preparing to unleash mass layoffs and funding cuts during the shutdown, and Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, agreed that the president has the constitutional power to make those decisions.