--- title: Republicans and Democrats React to Government Shutdown description: Republican and Democrat lawmakers are locked in a blame game, as each side is holding the other responsible for the government shutdown. canonical: https://time.com/7322235/government-shutdown-republican-democrat-lawmakers-react-blame-game/ author: Callum Sutherland article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2025-10-01T12:22:37.000Z article:modified_time: 2025-10-01T20:25:16.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Republicans and Democrats React to Government Shutdown og:description: Republican and Democrat lawmakers are locked in a blame game, as each side is holding the other responsible. og:url: https://time.com/7322235/government-shutdown-republican-democrat-lawmakers-react-blame-game/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt95bd4e47100b7666/6998ca4d25f3ee65b66450cb/GettyImages-2237973143.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 5000 og:image:height: 2813 og:image:alt: Pfizer Gets Three-Year Reprieve From Trump Pharma Tariffs og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Republicans and Democrats React to Government Shutdown twitter:description: Republican and Democrat lawmakers are locked in a blame game, as each side is holding the other responsible. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt95bd4e47100b7666/6998ca4d25f3ee65b66450cb/GettyImages-2237973143.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Republican and Democratic Lawmakers React to Government Shutdown as Blame Game Ensues > Sponsored content. 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A vote to end the government shutdown hours after it began failed Wednesday, as Democrats in the Senate held firm to the party’s demands to fund health care subsidies that President Donald Trump and Republicans refuse to provide._ by [Callum Sutherland](https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/) ## Callum Sutherland Reporter Updated: Oct 1, 2025 8:25 PM UTCPublished: Oct 1, 2025 12:22 PM UTC A vote to end the government shutdown hours after it began failed Wednesday, as Democrats in the Senate held firm to the party’s demands to fund health care subsidies that President Donald Trump and Republicans refuse to provide. by [Callum Sutherland](https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/) ## Callum Sutherland Reporter Updated: Oct 1, 2025 8:25 PM UTCPublished: Oct 1, 2025 12:22 PM UTC The federal government [shut down at midnight](https://time.com/7322164/government-shutdown-begins-donald-trump/) after a stalemate in Congress between the Republicans and Democrats failed to reach a resolve. The sparring political parties are locked in a bitter dispute over spending and enhanced Obamacare subsidies. An eleventh-hour attempt to find common ground proved fruitless as almost all Senate Democrats voted to reject a House-passed Republican bill that would have extended funding until Nov. 21\. The bill did not meet the Democrats’ core demand that Affordable Care Act subsidies, set to expire at the end of the year, should be extended. Democrats are also pushing to reverse [deep cuts to Medicaid](https://time.com/7290575/joni-ernst-medicaid-big-beautiful-bill-mike-johnson/) that featured in Trump’s "Big, Beautiful Bill" that was signed into law on July 4. This is the first closure of the government [in almost seven years](https://time.com/7321870/when-was-the-last-government-shutdown-united-states/). The last occurred during President Donald Trump’s first term in late 2018, spurred by disagreements on federal funding for his wall along the Mexico-U.S. border. Now, with several agencies facing shuttering, hundreds of thousands of federal workers have to deal with the prospect of being furloughed as the Office of Management and Budget has instructed affected agencies to “[execute their plans for an orderly shutdown](https://x.com/WHOMB/status/1973167864111841311/photo/1).” [Concerns are growing](https://time.com/7321967/fema-climate-agencies-government-shutdown-impact/) over the suspension of agencies that focus on climate and science as hurricane season approaches, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that responds to natural disaster events. Prior to the funding deadline passing, Trump threatened mass layoffs in the wake of a shutdown. “The Democrats want to shut it down, so when you shut it down, you have to do layoffs,” Trump said in the Oval Office on Tuesday. “We’d be laying off a lot of people that are going to be very affected, and they’re Democrats. They’re gonna be Democrats.” A slew of Republicans, including [Vice President J.D. Vance](https://x.com/JDVance/status/1971202169870438560), have put forth the false narrative that the Affordable Care Act subsidies at the core of the Democrats’ demands would provide health care for undocumented immigrants. During an [Oval Office press conference](https://www.tiktok.com/@cbsnews/video/7556005797449190669) on Tuesday, Trump was confronted about the Republicans’ stance, considering the fact that undocumented immigrants are not eligible for those health care plan subsidies and are largely barred from any federally-funded health care programs. Trump did not directly address the misleading narrative during his response. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, meanwhile, has steadfastly maintained that Trump could have easily avoided a shutdown. “Ultimately, he's the decision maker. And if he will accept some of the things we asked, which we think the American people are for on healthcare and on rescissions, he can avoid a shutdown,” [Schumer said](https://www.democrats.senate.gov/news/press-releases/transcript-leader-schumer-remarks-following-meeting-with-president-trump-and-congressional-leaders-on-the-need-for-bipartisan-negotiations-to-avert-a-shutdown-and-protect-healthcare) prior to the midnight deadline passing. Former Vice President Kamala Harris expressed a similar sentiment, [saying](https://x.com/KamalaHarris/status/1973238949868150868) "Republicans are in charge of the White House, House, and Senate. This is their shutdown."[](https://x.com/KamalaHarris/status/1973238949868150868) Republican and Democrat lawmakers are now, for the most part, locked in a blame game, as each side is holding the other responsible for the government shutdown that has transpired. Here’s how some lawmakers across the political parties are reacting to the shutdown: ## **Republicans** ### **J.D. Vance** Vice President J.D. Vance said on Wednesday morning that Democrats are “running away” from their initial demands to provide healthcare to “illegal aliens” in their response to the Republican budget put forward. “President Trump and Congressional Republicans turned off that money to healthcare funding for illegal aliens. The Democrats want to turn it back on,” he [claimed](https://x.com/FoxNews/status/1973368042441560424), repeating the false narrative during an interview with Fox News. “Let’s set that all to the side, let's open up the government, let's negotiate on all of these healthcare policies.” ### **Mike Johnson** After Democrats voted against a budget proposal on Tuesday, Speaker of the House [Mike Johnson ](https://x.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1973236526889713666)said: “What they’ve decided to do tonight, with their vote, is close the government. And what that means is real pain for real Americans.” He went on to list the impact of a shutdown, citing “moms and kids now lose Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition. Veterans lose health care and suicide prevention programs. FEMA has shortfalls during hurricane season. Soldiers and TSA agents go unpaid.” Much like his fellow Republicans, Johnson called out Schumer specifically. “The only question now: how long will Chuck Schumer let this pain go on—for his own selfish reasons?” Johnson took a slightly different approach on Wednesday morning, telling Fox News that the shutdown provided an opportunity to "downsize the scope and scale of government... there is a real opportunity for government to work more effectively and efficiently." ### **John Thune** Senate Majority Leader John Thune accused Schumer of catering to the "far-left" and urged Senate Democrats to vote with the Republicans the next time they have the opportunity to do so. "It's not about which party wins or loses or who gets blamed. This is about opening the government back up for the American people," he [said](https://x.com/LeaderJohnThune/status/1973417903069532220). ### **Tom Cotton** “A ‘Schumer shutdown’ will be carried out at the expense and on the dime of the American people. Remember, it wasn’t happenstance that the American people threw radical Democrats out of the Oval Office and congressional leadership last fall,” [said Sen. Tom Cotton](https://x.com/SenateGOP/status/1973143605398368708) in a speech at the Senate on Tuesday evening. The Arkansas lawmaker called the shutdown “a last-ditch effort to save face after spending years pushing disastrous policies that led to rising costs and skyrocketing crime.” ### **Ted Cruz** Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas [blamed the Democrats](https://x.com/SenTedCruz/status/1973197963515297974) ahead of the midnight shutdown. “They're doing it on the face of it because they want free healthcare for illegals,” he claimed. “They’re crazy left-wing base is so angry. A few months ago when Schumer and the Democrats agreed to keep the government open, Schumer almost lost his job.” **Read More**: [_In Averting a Shutdown, Schumer Ignites a Rebellion_](https://time.com/7268506/chuck-schumer-democrats-vote/) ### **Kristi Noem** Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said just before midnight on Tuesday that her department’s law enforcement officers will continue to work through the “Democrat shutdown to make sure our homeland is safe and secure,” adding that 200,000 officers will go without pay. “The Democrats will be forcing over 150,000 officers and nearly 50,000 members of the military—our frontline of defense—to continue protecting our nation without pay,” [said Noem](https://x.com/Sec%5FNoem/status/1973229586910683546). ### **Mike Carey** Rep. Mike Carey of Ohio said Wednesday morning that “it's unfortunate so many Senators were unwilling to advance \[the Republicans'\] House package to keep the government open.” “Its rejection in the Senate means an unnecessary and avoidable government shutdown that hurts the very people we were elected to serve,” Carey [said](https://x.com/RepMikeCarey/status/1973370003018883205). ### **Ron Estes** Rep. Ron Estes of Kansas has requested that his salary be put on hold in response to the shutdown, for as long as the government closure lasts. “Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, have pushed Congress into another Schumer shutdown. During a government shutdown, members of Congress still receive their paychecks. This is unfair when some federal employees are furloughed and/or don’t receive their paychecks,” Estes said via social media on Wednesday morning, as he [shared a letter](https://x.com/RepRonEstes/status/1973395477312971257) requesting his salary be withheld. ### **Joe Gruters** Sen. Joe Gruters of Florida, who serves as the chairman of the Republican National Committee, repeated the false narrative that Democrats are "fighting for health care for illegal aliens." “Democrats are solely responsible for this government shutdown. Democrats are holding up critical funding for our veterans, seniors, law enforcement, and working families because they want to pass a far-left wish list,” [claimed Gruters](https://x.com/ChairmanGruters/status/1973327178222674425). **Read More:** [_What Cuts to FEMA, Climate Agencies Mean During a Government Shutdown_](https://time.com/7321967/fema-climate-agencies-government-shutdown-impact/) ## **Democrats** ### **Chuck Schumer** Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer posted a video counting down to the shutdown deadline via social media. “It’s midnight. The ‘Republican shutdown’ has just begun because Republicans wouldn’t protect America’s health care. We’re going to keep fighting for the American people,” he said in the footage filmed outside Capitol Hill. Schumer also responded to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt who said “Democrats are prioritizing illegal aliens over American citizens. They are America’s last radicals.” “This is a lie. Not a single federal dollar goes to providing health insurance for undocumented immigrants. Not one penny,” Schumer replied. “Republicans would rather lie and shut down the government down than protect your health care.” ### **Hakeem Jeffries** House Democratic Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries released a [critical statement](https://x.com/RepJeffries/status/1973236832721928540) towards the Trump Administration. “Donald Trump and Republicans have now shut down the federal government because they do not want to protect the healthcare of the American People,” he said, adding that Democrats want to find a “bipartisan way forward” to end the shuttering. ### **Elizabeth Warren** Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts [said](https://x.com/SenWarren/status/1973380302794850421) on Wednesday morning: "Donald Trump officially shut down the government last night." "Why? Because Republicans in Congress are spineless. They would rather make health care more expensive for millions of Americans because their pretend king wants them to rather than keep the government open." ### **Cory Booker** Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey [said](https://x.com/SenBooker/status/1973236812790505912): “We just went into a shutdown because Republicans refuse to work with us to deal with the healthcare crisis that they created. Donald Trump and Republicans control the House of Representatives, the Senate, and the White House. They need to do their job and put forward a budget that will help Americans.” Booker added that he has spoken to Americans across New Jersey who are struggling with healthcare and other rising costs. “This should be a bipartisan commitment to do the things necessary to help folks who are struggling,” he urged. ### **Pete Aguilar** Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, who also serves as the chair of the House Democratic Caucus, said the shutdown comes as America faces "dual health care and affordability crises that require immediate action." "For months, Democrats have been sounding the alarm imploring Republicans to undo their harmful cuts to Medicaid and extend Affordable Care Act tax credits in order to prevent millions of Americans from losing their coverage," [said](https://www.instagram.com/p/DPRkNZKjUWm/?img%5Findex=2) Aguilar, who vowed to "keep fighting" to avoid that outcome. ### **Andy Kim** Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey said that he would be refusing his pay during the shutdown. “It’s wrong that the President and Members of Congress get paid during a government shutdown when our military and public servants don’t. I will be refusing my own pay… Government leaders shouldn’t be playing with other people’s chips,” [said Kim](https://x.com/SenatorAndyKim/status/1973056041811153271), later adding that “it’s a small gesture, but one that is necessary as Americans pay for the consequences of our actions.” ### **Josh Gottheimer** Rep. Josh Gottheimer of New Jersey also surrendered his pay effective after the shutdown began, formally requesting the move in [a letter shared online.](https://x.com/RepJoshG/status/1973107087094980990) “If our service members and federal workers won’t get paid because of Trump and far-right extremists, Members of Congress shouldn’t either. I’ll keep fighting to lower health care costs and work across the aisle to keep the government open,” said Gottheimer. ### **Nancy Pelosi** California Representative and former Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, blamed the ruling party ahead of the deadline passing. “If Republicans force a shutdown, it’s on them. Democrats will keep fighting to protect your health care,” [she said](https://x.com/SpeakerPelosi/status/1973068994853687451). ### **Chris Murphy** Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut [responded](https://x.com/ChrisMurphyCT/status/1973190917642215563) to the shutdown, saying: “Democrats need to be loud and confident in our argument. No 75% premium increases. No lawlessness. That’s what we are fighting for. The people will be with us. But only if we show strength.” ## Transcript At midnight, the federal government officially shut down because Republicans failed to fix the health care crisis that they've created. This is a sad, serious, and somber moment for the country. Americans are already facing a dual affordability and healthcare crisis thanks to Donald Trump's tariffs and Republicans big, ugly law. And now, because Republicans refuse to come to the table and negotiate with Democrats, Americans can suffer even more. We were elected to solve the problems of this country, not make them worse. And that's exactly what Donald Trump and his Republican henchmen are seeking to do. We've been having these conversations. We've been pushing to engage since March, by the way, a CR that we didn't support as well. And we have been saying loudly that we have huge concerns from the rescissions that Donald Trump and his administration have executed to not spending resources that Democrats and Republicans have allocated. We've been telling our Republican colleagues for months, these are concerns of ours. And we have told them, work with us, talk with us and all we got were partisan bills, because Speaker Johnson is just interested in being the chair of the Republican conference. He isn't interested, apparently, in being the speaker of the House. Donald Trump and Republicans have barreled us into a shutdown because they refused to protect Americans health care. It's clear that the way out of this shutdown is to sit down and negotiate with Democrats to address the looming health care crisis that faces tens of millions of American families. Democrats want to avert this crisis, but Republicans tried to bully us, and it's clear they can't. They don't have the votes. The way out of this is for Republicans to finally roll up their sleeves and get to work. If Republicans work with us and fix America's health care crisis, the shutdown could go away very quickly. And that's what Democrats want to end this now, fix health care now. It's the right thing to do for the American people. We urge our Republican colleagues, we urge President Trump to take yes for an answer. At midnight, the Democrats followed through on their threat to shut down the United States government. The sad thing about it is that every single bit of this was entirely avoidable. Democrats could have worked with us in a bipartisan manner to avert this unnecessary and very harmful shutdown, but instead they did something that is rather shocking to us. They prioritized taxpayer funded benefits for illegal aliens over keeping the government open for American citizens. Whether or not the government remains open or reopens is entirely up to them. There's still time for Democrats to pass this clean, bipartisan bill that's sitting before them, and we encourage our Democratic colleagues to do that. I certainly pray they'll come to their senses soon and do the right and responsible thing. This could have been avoided. It's totally unavoidable. And everybody's now asking the question, how does this end? Well, it ends when the Senate Democrats pick this bill up, passed by the House of Representatives and vote for it. President. House Republicans, Senate Republicans, we're all united on this. And what's interesting now is some of the Democrats are joining us. Our vote last night was a bipartisan vote. There were three Democrats that came over and voted with us because they know this strategy is a losing one and it hurts the American people. It's not about who wins or who loses or who gets blamed in all this. It's about the American people, and they have taken the American people hostage. Yesterday in the Senate floor, the cracks started to appear in the Democrat base. Three Democrats voted with the Republicans to prevent a shutdown. And why? Because they know the American people are hurt when the government shuts down. The Democrats need to pass the House's seven week funding bill. Until then, there's nothing to negotiate. There's no compromises to be had. There's no gangs. There's no back channels. There's another vote today in the Senate. And Senate Democrats will hopefully do the right thing. And if they don't today, then they'll have another chance later this week and next week. And as long as it takes until the Senate passes the House bill. We. Are here ready to get the job done. Schumer needs to end this shutdown. And finally, join with us and let's start real negotiations without holding the American people hostage. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/7322235/government-shutdown-republican-democrat-lawmakers-react-blame-game/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/7322235/government-shutdown-republican-democrat-lawmakers-react-blame-game/"},"headline":"Republican and Democratic Lawmakers React to Government Shutdown as Blame Game Ensues","datePublished":"2025-10-01T12:22:37.000Z","dateModified":"2025-10-01T20:25:16.000Z","description":"The sparring political parties are locked in a blame game, with each side holding the other responsible.","url":"https://time.com/7322235/government-shutdown-republican-democrat-lawmakers-react-blame-game/","keywords":["Trump Administration","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt95bd4e47100b7666/6998ca4d25f3ee65b66450cb/GettyImages-2237973143.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Callum Sutherland","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"https://time.com/author/callum-sutherland/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt95bd4e47100b7666/6998ca4d25f3ee65b66450cb/GettyImages-2237973143.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Pfizer Gets Three-Year Reprieve From Trump Pharma Tariffs","caption":"Pfizer Gets Three-Year Reprieve From Trump Pharma Tariffs","creditText":"Francis Chung—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/trump-administration/","name":"Trump Administration"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/7322235/government-shutdown-republican-democrat-lawmakers-react-blame-game/","name":"Republican and Democratic Lawmakers React to Government Shutdown as Blame Game Ensues"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Republican and Democratic Lawmakers React to Government Shutdown as Blame Game Ensues","description":"A vote to end the government shutdown hours after it began failed Wednesday, as Democrats in the Senate held firm to the party’s demands to fund health care subsidies that President Donald Trump and Republicans refuse to provide.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/pmSknhIm/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2025-10-01T19:31:16.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/pmSknhIm.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/7322235/government-shutdown-republican-democrat-lawmakers-react-blame-game/","duration":"PT4M48S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/7322235/government-shutdown-republican-democrat-lawmakers-react-blame-game/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```