As the government shutdown continues with no resolution in sight, a new poll reveals widespread discontent among the American public, with significant blame directed toward President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress, as well as Democrats.
According to an AP-NORC poll, approximately 60% of Americans attribute a substantial amount of responsibility for the shutdown to President Trump and congressional Republicans. At the same time, 54% believe that Democrats in Congress share a significant portion of the blame.
This sentiment indicates that no political group is escaping scrutiny as the shutdown stretches into its third week, with warnings that it may soon become the longest in U.S. history.
Democrats are pressing for the continuation of health insurance tax credits that have been vital for many since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. Meanwhile, Republicans have maintained that negotiations will not begin until a funding bill is passed to reopen the government.
The ongoing impasse has devolved into a public relations battle, with both parties attempting to shift blame onto each other. With the pivotal 2026 midterm elections on the horizon, the stakes are particularly high for the Democrats, who are currently out of power and are seeking to find a rallying point.
Interestingly, the poll indicates that slightly more Americans are frustrated with the party currently in power. About half of those surveyed attribute a significant degree of responsibility to President Trump, matching the blame directed at congressional Republicans, while 40% implicate Democrats.
Sophia Cole, a 38-year-old Republican from St. Louis, exemplifies this sentiment, placing equal blame on both Trump and Congress. Cole, a supporter of the president, believes that both parties should come together and compromise, though she emphasizes that it is ultimately Trump’s duty to lead the charge for a resolution.
“We’re dependent on him to get the House and everyone to vote the way that he needs them to vote,” Cole stated.
The repercussions of the shutdown are becoming increasingly evident nationwide, affecting travel and the livelihoods of federal employees who are either furloughed or working without pay and now face delayed paychecks.
Over half of U.S. adults view the shutdown as a serious problem, with 54% describing it as a “major issue.” This perception is particularly strong among Democrats, where 69% categorize it as such. Independents also express concern, with 59% calling it a major problem, while only 37% of Republicans share that view.
House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana has warned that the country is approaching one of its longest-ever shutdowns. The current situation echoes a previous shutdown during Trump’s first term, which lasted 35 days. Public sentiment at that time mirrored the current disconnect, with Democrats more likely to perceive it as a significant issue.
Warnings from the White House suggest that the fallout from the current shutdown could be more severe than previously experienced. While approximately 2 million service members received timely paychecks this week, the administration has used the prospect of layoffs to exert pressure, although legal actions have since temporarily blocked such firings.
“Things are just going to keep getting worse for federal workers,” expressed Angie Santiago, a 60-year-old Miami resident. Santiago, who is on disability and whose husband is the family breadwinner, fears that the shutdown will exacerbate economic difficulties across the nation.
She added, “If people like me are struggling, I can’t imagine what federal workers are going through.”
Worrying about her household situation, Santiago noted that she has been relying on food banks for support and foresaw an increase in such reliance among others due to the shutdown. “I’m calling you from a food line,” she mentioned, predicting more people will experience similar hardships as the situation unfolds.
At the heart of the shutdown dispute is a stalemate over federal tax credits aimed at helping individuals purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. While Democrats advocate for the extension of these credits, Republicans have stated that any discussions on this issue will only take place post-reopening of the government.
The polling data reveals that about 40% of U.S. adults endorse the idea of extending these tax credits, with around 10% outright opposing such measures. Notably, 42% of respondents expressed no opinion on the matter, indicating a lack of engagement with the specifics of the shutdown’s drivers.
Jason Beck, a self-employed insurance agent from Utah and a Republican, supports the extension of ACA tax credits, recognizing the significance of the shutdown’s implications for health insurance.
“I know a lot of the shutdown is over health insurance, and I’d rather just keep it the same way it is now,” Beck stated, acknowledging the potential for ongoing support among both Democrats and Republicans regarding the subsidies.
Despite Beck’s alignment with Democrats on health care subsidies, he still attributes blame for the shutdown evenly across the board, stating, “Trump’s blaming the Democrats, and the Democrats are blaming the Republicans. We’re stuck because there’s no middle ground anymore.”
Both Democrats and Republicans appear to be framing the shutdown within the context of the upcoming 2026 midterm elections, with the Democrats seeking to regain control of the House. However, so far, public opinion toward either party hasn’t substantially shifted due to the ongoing crisis.
Currently, 30% of adults hold a favorable view of the Democratic Party, which aligns with figures from a September poll, while 40% view the Republican Party favorably — also consistent with last month’s results.
Confidence in Congress itself remains alarmingly low, with only about 4% of Americans expressing a great deal of confidence in its operations. Meanwhile, around 43% have only some confidence, and nearly half report having hardly any confidence in Congress at all.
Notably, the poll found that health care could prove to be a pivotal issue for the Democrats moving forward. 38% of Americans trust Democrats to handle health care better than Republicans, who garnered support from only 25% of respondents.
Furthermore, about 10% trust both equally, while 25% place faith in neither party.
Rob Redding, an independent voter from New York, voiced support for extending ACA subsidies and credited Democrats for their steadfast defense of the health care measures.
Redding opined that the Democrats’ struggle to uphold the ACA subsidies represents a noble, bold stand, and he believes that their actions are justified in the current climate.
The AP-NORC poll surveyed 1,289 adults from October 9-13, utilizing a representative sample through the AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to reflect the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for adults overall stands at plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
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