We asked 1,000 Americans who is to blame for the shutdown. Here’s what they said.
How concerned are Americans about the partial shutdown of the federal government and whom do they blame for causing it? The Washington Post texted a nationally representative sample of 1,010 people on Wednesday to ask.
The Post’s poll finds significantly more Americans blame President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans for the shutdown than Democrats, though many say they are not sure. People express moderate concern about the shutdown’s impact at this early stage, with “somewhat concerned” the most common answer. A large majority support Democrats’ call to extend federal health insurance subsidies in general, though just under half support the party demanding this if it extends the government shutdown.
Participants’ answers have been lightly edited for clarity and style.
—
Who do you think is mainly responsible for the federal government partially shutting down?
• Democrats in Congress: 30%
• Not sure: 23%
• Trump and Republicans in Congress: 47%
By a 17-percentage-point margin, the poll found more saying Trump and Republicans are responsible for the partial government shutdown than Democrats in Congress, while a sizable 23% say they are not sure. In an open-ended question, those blaming Trump and Republicans cited a refusal to compromise, the party’s control of the presidency and Congress, and Trump’s actions. People who blamed Democrats also criticized the party for refusing to compromise or said that they always oppose Trump’s actions. Some also echoed false claims by Trump and Republicans that Democratic lawmakers are trying to force the government to offer full health care benefits to people who are in the country illegally.
“Because all branches of government are currently controlled by Republicans yet they are somehow blaming Democrats for their inability to get something figured out that both parties agree on.” — Montana woman, 48, Independent/Other, said Trump and Republicans in Congress are more responsible
“Don’t agree with shutdown but got to make a stand for health care.” — Indiana man, 67, Democrat, said Trump and Republicans in Congress are more responsible
“Frankly they’re both responsible but I think Democrats have more unreasonable and untenable demands for how to fund the government.” — Utah man, 40, Republican, said Democrats in Congress are more responsible
“Because they are against any thing Trump is involved in.” — North Carolina woman, 67 Independent/Other, said Democrats in Congress are more responsible
“They could have passed a clean bill and didn’t want to.” — Texas man, 33, Republican, said Democrats in Congress are more responsible
“The Republicans did not negotiate at all with the Democrats. They also control the House, Senate, and White House.” — New Jersey man, 51, Democrat, said Trump and Republicans in Congress are more responsible
“Trump and Republicans pushing for health care cuts for the most vulnerable Americans is pure insanity.” — New York woman, 46, Independent/Other, said Trump and Republicans in Congress are more responsible
“Because they are asking for universal health care for illegal aliens.” — Mississippi man, 52, Independent/Other, said Democrats in Congress are more responsible
“Trump and Republicans want to punish regular Americans.” — Maryland man, 78, Democrat, said Trump and Republicans in Congress are more responsible
“Trump and Republicans have all the power right now. It is in their power to prevent a shutdown.” — Georgia man, 29, Independent/Other, said Trump and Republicans in Congress are more responsible
“Republicans control the House, Senate, and obviously the presidency, if they truly cared to pass a need spending bill, it would’ve happened.” — Ohio man, 22, Independent/Other, said Trump and Republicans in Congress are more responsible
“They don’t want to compromise. It is their way or no way.” — Arkansas woman, 47, Democrat, said Trump and Republicans in Congress are more responsible
“Democrats are holding the funds hostage until the president agrees to their terms.” — South Carolina woman, 64, Independent/Other, said Democrats in Congress are more responsible
“Democrats are making unreasonable requests.” — Washington woman, 55, Republican, said Democrats in Congress are more responsible
The poll shows two factors driving opinions about Republicans. Political independents are more than twice as likely to say Trump and Republicans are responsible for the shutdown as Democrats, 50% vs. 22%. Second, while 67% of Republicans blame Democrats for the shutdown, an even larger 87% of Democrats blame Trump and Republicans. That gap may shrink as the shutdown goes on.
Public opinion today is comparable to several past government shutdowns when Republicans have shouldered the bulk of the blame, including twice during Trump’s first presidential term.
One exception to this pattern was a near government shutdown in the fall of 2023, when more Americans said they would blame President Joe Biden and the Democrats for a possible government shutdown than would blame Republicans (40% to 33%). Democrats struck a last-minute deal with Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (California) to keep the government open; Republicans voted to remove McCarthy from his post just days later.
—
How concerned, if at all, are you about the partial shutdown of the federal government?
Very concerned: 25%
Somewhat concerned: 41%
Not too concerned: 22%
Not at all concerned: 12%
About two-thirds of Americans say they are concerned about the partial federal shutdown, with about one-quarter saying they are “very concerned” while a 41% plurality are “somewhat concerned.”
More than 8 in 10 Democrats and 7 in 10 independents say they’re concerned about the shutdown, while fewer than half of Republicans say the same.
—
Federal subsidies that reduce the cost of Affordable Care Act health insurance plans are scheduled to end at the end of this year. Should these subsidies …?
Be extended: 71%
End as scheduled: 29%
Congressional Democrats have demanded an extension of federal subsidies that reduce the cost of health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act, which will expire at the end of 2025.
The Post poll finds 71% of Americans say federal health insurance subsidies should be extended, while 29% say they should end as scheduled. A 95 percent majority of Democrats and 80% of independents support extending health insurance subsidies, but support drops to 38% among Republicans. A 62% majority of Republicans say they should end as scheduled.
—
Should Democrats/Republicans demand the extension/end of health insurance subsidies even if it continues the government shutdown, or should they compromise to end the shutdown?
Want to extend subsidies + Dems should demand: 47%
Want to extend + Dems should compromise: 24%
Want to end subsidies + Trump/Reps should compromise: 8%
Want to end subsidies + Trump/Reps should demand they end: 21%
Respondents who supported extending insurance subsidies were asked what Democrats in Congress should do; respondents supported ending insurance subsidies were asked what Republicans in Congress should do.
The poll asked supporters and opponents of health insurance subsidies whether congressional Democrats and Republicans should stick to their demands or compromise to end the shutdown. Just under half of the public (47%) says Democrats should demand the extension of health insurance subsidies “even if it continues a government shutdown,” while 24% say they should compromise to end the shutdown. Meanwhile, 21% of Americans want health insurance subsidies to expire and say Republicans should stick to that demand, while 8% want them to compromise to end the shutdown.
About three-quarters of Democrats (76%) and 55% of independents want Democrats in Congress to demand the extension of insurance subsidies even if it extends the shutdown. Among Republicans, 48% want subsidies to end and for their party to persist in that demand, while 14% want their party to compromise and another 38% support extending subsidies.
—
About this story
This Washington Post poll was conducted by text message on Oct. 1, 2025, among a random sample of 1,010 U.S. adults from the SSRS Opinion Panel, an ongoing survey panel recruited through random sampling of U.S. households. The sample was weighted to match U.S. population demographics, partisanship and 2024 vote choice. Overall results have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.
–
• Analysis by Scott Clement and Emily Guskin.