A recent survey of 1,010 American adults found that many people believe President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are responsible for the partial government shutdown.
While some say they’re not sure, a majority blames Trump and Republicans for refusing to compromise and controlling both the presidency and Congress. However, Democrats criticize them for their actions, echoing false claims about Democratic lawmakers trying to force full healthcare benefits on undocumented immigrants.
The survey also found that Americans are moderately concerned about the shutdown’s impact, with two-thirds saying they’re concerned and 41% saying they’re “somewhat” concerned.
Most people (71%) support extending federal health insurance subsidies through the Affordable Care Act, which will expire at the end of 2025. A large majority of Democrats (95%) and independents (80%) agree on this issue.
However, a significant portion of Republicans (62%) oppose extending the subsidies and want them to expire as scheduled. The survey shows that public opinion is comparable to past government shutdowns when Republicans have shouldered most of the blame.
The results may change as the shutdown continues, but for now, Trump and Republicans are the main culprits in the eyes of Americans.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2025/government-shutdown-trump-congress-poll