As the United States enters a historic standoff in Washington, the government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025, shows no sign of ending. With hundreds of thousands of federal workers going without pay and crucial programs on the verge of collapse, a new Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll reveals that nearly half of Americans place the blame squarely on President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans. This finding, reported by The Washington Post, underscores the deep partisan divide and mounting public frustration as the shutdown approaches what could become the longest in U.S. history.
The survey, conducted among 2,725 adults with a margin of error of ±1.9 percentage points, found that 45% of respondents blame the GOP for the ongoing shutdown, while 33% fault congressional Democrats. The numbers are even starker among independent voters—a group often seen as the bellwether for national sentiment—where Republicans are blamed twice as often as Democrats. According to The Washington Post, this suggests that the political fallout may disproportionately damage the GOP’s standing with unaffiliated voters, a critical demographic in any national contest.
Public anxiety is palpable. Three-quarters of American adults told pollsters they are "very" or "somewhat concerned" about the disruption caused by the shutdown. The economic strain is especially acute among low-income households and self-identified Democrats, who report the highest levels of worry. As the impasse drags on, the shutdown’s effects are rippling far beyond the Beltway, threatening to upend the lives of millions of ordinary Americans.
At the core of the political deadlock is a dispute over government funding, particularly the fate of Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits. With government funding having expired at the start of October, both parties have dug in their heels. Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer has repeatedly insisted that "the shutdown is on Donald Trump’s back," while Republican leaders argue that Democrats are playing "dangerous political games" by refusing to accept their terms.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), however, is pushing back hard against the prevailing narrative. Appearing on Fox News’s “Fox & Friends” on October 31, Johnson dismissed the polling data outright. "I’m not buying polls that show voters are blaming more Republicans than Democrats for the government shutdown," Johnson said. He went further, claiming, "The Democrats admit themselves that they are the ones shutting the government down, and they’re having a hard time justifying that." Johnson insisted that "public pressure is building" against Democrats and predicted political consequences for those he believes are truly responsible.
Yet, multiple public polls, including the Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos survey, have found that a plurality of voters do in fact blame the GOP for the government’s shuttering. Still, Johnson remains undeterred. "At the end of the day, the American people are wise," he said. "They understand what’s going on. They’re going to see who’s responsible, and there’ll be a price to pay for that politically."
The legislative impasse centers on the Republicans’ effort to pass a "clean" continuing resolution (CR), a temporary funding measure that would keep the government running while negotiations continue over a full-year budget. The sticking point? The CR does not include funding for the expiring ACA enhanced premium tax credits, which Democrats argue are essential to safeguard health care access for millions of Americans. Without these subsidies, Democrats warn, the expiration could have a devastating impact on families who rely on affordable insurance coverage.
As the days stretch on, the consequences of the shutdown are becoming more severe. One of the most alarming developments is the imminent lapse of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), expected to occur the weekend following October 31. According to The Hill, this would affect an estimated 42 million Americans who depend on SNAP benefits for food security. The looming funding shortfall has stirred anxiety on both sides of the aisle, as lawmakers from both parties have constituents who would be directly affected by the program’s suspension.
The political maneuvering has only intensified. In an effort to increase pressure on Senate Democrats, Speaker Johnson canceled five weeks of previously scheduled House votes, effectively putting the legislative process on hold. This move has drawn criticism not just from House Democrats but also from several Republican representatives. Notably, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) publicly rebuked Johnson for his recess strategy, confronting him during a House GOP call earlier in the week. "We are anxious to get the House back to regular legislative session, but we have to get the lights turned back on," Johnson said during his Fox News appearance. He laid the onus on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and his Democratic colleagues: "Chuck Schumer and the Democrats in the Senate have got to reopen the government again."
For millions of Americans, the stakes are anything but abstract. Federal workers are facing their fourth week without paychecks, and the uncertainty has left families scrambling to make ends meet. Essential services are being curtailed, and the threat of further program lapses looms large. The shutdown’s impact is not distributed evenly, with low-income households and those dependent on government assistance bearing the brunt of the pain. According to the Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll, economic anxiety is especially pronounced among these groups, amplifying calls for a swift resolution.
Meanwhile, both parties continue to trade blame in the public arena. Republicans argue that Democrats are holding up the CR for political gain, while Democrats insist that the GOP’s refusal to fund ACA subsidies is the real obstacle. "It’s the most fundamental responsibility of Congress is to have the government operate and work for the people, and that’s the No. 1 priority right now, and we cannot deviate from that," Johnson told Fox News. Yet, with both sides entrenched, compromise appears elusive.
If the shutdown continues past November 5, it will officially become the longest in U.S. history—a dubious milestone that neither side seems eager to own. The deadlock has become a test of political will, with each party betting that public opinion will ultimately side with their narrative. For now, though, polls suggest that Republicans have more to lose, particularly among the critical bloc of independent voters.
As the impasse grinds on, the human cost continues to mount. Programs like SNAP are teetering on the brink, and the uncertainty is eroding confidence in Congress’s ability to govern. With no clear end in sight, Americans are left to wonder when—and if—their elected officials will find a way to turn the lights back on.
