Multiple recent polls show a plurality of Americans blame President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans for the partial government shutdown, while disapproval of both parties’ handling of the standoff is rising, Axios reported.
A Washington Post-SSRS survey of 1,010 adults, conducted via text message on Oct. 1, found that 47% of respondents placed most responsibility on “Trump and Republicans in Congress,” while 30% blamed Democrats and 23% said they were “not sure.” That result aligns with prior patterns in past shutdowns, where Republicans typically receive a higher share of blame.
In a separate but concurrent CBS News-YouGov poll of 2,441 adults (Oct. 1-3, margin of error ±2.3 points), 39% blamed Trump and Republicans for the shutdown, 30% blamed Democrats, and 31% said both sides share blame equally.
That poll also found 52% disapprove of how Trump is handling the shutdown, 52% disapprove of congressional Republicans’ performance, and 49% disapprove of congressional Democrats.
On the question of whether any party’s position is worth a shutdown, only 23% said Republicans’ demands justified a shutdown, while 28% said the same of Democrats. A remarkable 32% said they were unsure.
Health care is the central bone of contention in the impasse.
CBS/YouGov found that 36% of respondents view health care as the primary issue driving the shutdown.
Meanwhile, a Kaiser Family Foundation poll fielded Sept. 23-29 found wide bipartisan support for extending the enhanced tax credits under the Affordable Care Act: 92% of Democrats, 82% of independents, and 59% of Republicans backed the extension.
Additional KFF data reinforced that majorities of Americans are opposed to cuts in Medicaid and other health programs. For example, fewer than 17% of adults in a recent KFF tracking poll favored reducing Medicaid spending; most said they preferred funding to be held constant or increased.
The shutdown’s reach is not solely a matter of politics.
The Washington Post poll indicated that 66% of respondents expressed concern (25% “very,” 41% “somewhat”) over the shutdown’s effects. Other surveys show that many Americans believe the shutdown could affect their personal lives: In a YouGov question, 11% said they would be “definitely” affected, 25% “probably,” and 18% were unsure.
These polls arrive as Congress remains deadlocked over government funding. On Sept. 30, the Senate rejected a Republican-led continuing resolution that would have extended funding through Nov. 21, falling five votes short of the 60 needed.
The shutdown began at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1, the first since Trump returned to office, affecting hundreds of thousands of federal employees.
With no clear path to a resolution, the political risk is rising. Both parties are aggressively lobbying to shape public sentiment, attempting to frame the shutdown narrative in their favor.
Whether that effort succeeds may depend on how long the shutdown lasts and the extent of the disruption it causes.
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