President Donald Trump and Republicans were dealt a polling blow amid their government shutdown standoff with Democrats.
A new poll from The Washington Post, reveals more Americans are blaming Republicans rather than Democrats, though many are still unsure who is responsible.
In a statement to Newsweek, Republican National Committee spokesperson Kiersten Pels wrote that Democrats “alone are responsible for the shutdown.” Democratic National Committee Deputy Rapid Response Director Jaelin O’Halloran wrote in a statement to Newsweek that “this is Trump’s shutdown, and Americans know it.”
Why It Matters
Democrats and Republicans have both sought to cast blame on each other. Democrats have accused Republicans of not willing to make any concessions to earn their support, particularly around the extension of health care tax credits set to expire and a rollback of recent Medicaid cuts. But Republicans have said Senate Democrats are to blame for not agreeing to the bill passed by the House.
What to Know
The poll from The Washington Post surveying 1,010 Americans on Wednesday, found 47 percent said they blamed Republicans in Congress or Trump, while 30 percent said Democrats were to blame. Twenty-three percent said they were unsure of who is responsible.
Meanwhile, 66 percent said they were concerned about the impacts of a shutdown, while 22 percent said they were “not too concerned.” Twelve percent said they were not concerned at all. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
It’s in line with other surveys that have found Americans are more inclined to blame Republicans than Democrats for the shutdown.
A poll from The New York Times conducted prior to the shutdown found that 26 percent said they would blame Trump and Republicans, while 19 percent would blame Democrats. Thirty-three percent said they would blame both sides evenly.
The poll also found that 65 percent of respondents said that “Democrats should not shut down the government, even if their demands are not met.” Only 27 percent said “Democrats should shut down the government if their demands are not met.”
It surveyed 1,313 registered voters from September 22 to September 27, 2025.
Lawmakers failed to pass a bill to provide funding for the federal government by a September 30 deadline, meaning the government is now shut down indefinitely until such a bill can receive enough support in Congress. A temporary funding bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), has passed the GOP-controlled House of Representatives but stalled in the Senate, where it must receive bipartisan support to overcome the 60 vote filibuster.
Government shutdowns have many impacts—hundreds of thousands of federal workers are being furloughed or potentially fired, and the shutdown means disruptions to passport processing applications, national parks and government benefits. It’s the first shutdown since a 35-day shutdown that lasted from 2018 to 2019.
What People Are Saying
Republican National Committee spokesperson Kiersten Pels told Newsweek: “Democrats alone are responsible for this shutdown. They’re holding seniors, veterans, and law enforcement hostage to push through a far-left wish list that prioritizes illegal aliens over hardworking citizens. President Trump and Republicans are unified in fighting to reopen the government. The only thing standing in the way is the Democrat Party’s reckless partisan agenda.”
Democratic National Committee Deputy Rapid Response Director Jaelin O’Halloran told Newsweek: “Donald Trump shut down the government to avoid shielding millions of Americans from skyrocketing health care premiums, even though he spent 10 times as much on massive tax cuts for billionaires — it’s no wonder voters believe Trump and Republicans are to blame. While Democrats are fighting to lower costs, protect health care, and reopen the government, Trump, Vance, and their loyalists in Congress are hellbent on making life harder for working families just to protect their billionaire tax breaks. This is Trump’s shutdown, and Americans know it.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote in a joint statement: “After months of making life harder and more expensive, Donald Trump and Republicans have now shut down the federal government because they do not want to protect the healthcare of the American people. Democrats remain ready to find a bipartisan path forward to reopen the government in a way that lowers costs and addresses the Republican healthcare crisis. But we need a credible partner.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson wrote in a statement to X: “Senator Chuck Schumer has shut down the federal government for one reason and one reason alone: to protect himself from his own far left, radical base.”
Trump wrote to Truth Social on Wednesday: “Republicans must use this opportunity of Democrat forced closure to clear out dead wood, waste, and fraud. Billions of Dollars can be saved. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
What Happens Next