Public sentiment regarding the potential government shutdown in the U.S. is overwhelmingly negative, with a strong focus on blaming President Trump and the Republican Party for their failures in governance and negotiation. Commenters express frustration with the inability of both parties to address critical issues, voicing concerns for federal workers and essential services should a shutdown occur. Many advocate for the shutdown as a necessary step to enforce accountability, although there are fears about the repercussions of that action. Overall, sentiment reflects disappointment, anger, and a desire for substantial political change.

Republican Party

Democratic Party

President Trump


As a reminder, this subreddit [is for civil discussion.](/r/politics/wiki/index#wiki_be_civil)

In general, be courteous to others. Debate/discuss/argue the merits of ideas, don't attack people. Personal insults, shill or troll accusations, hate speech, any suggestion or support of harm, violence, or death, and other rule violations can result in a permanent ban. 

If you see comments in violation of our rules, please report them.

 For those who have questions regarding any media outlets being posted on this subreddit, please click [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/wiki/approveddomainslist) to review our details as to our approved domains list and outlet criteria.
 
 We are actively looking for new moderators.  If you have any interest in helping to make this subreddit a place for quality discussion, please fill out [this form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1y2swHD0KXFhStGFjW6k54r9iuMjzcFqDIVwuvdLBjSA).
 

***


*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/politics) if you have any questions or concerns.*

AutoModerator

Am I understanding it correctly that Republicans need democratic votes to pass their budget, but refuse to negotiate with them? Further, republicans plan to blame democrats for a shutdown despite holding the house, senate, and the White House? AND, Trump, on his own accord, is now threatening to fire federal employees if there’s a shutdown and blame those firings on the democrats as well? Is that correct?

Slaterpup17

Trump's federal government seems to understand the concepts of defunding what they don't like, regardless of whether they have the authority to do so... so let's go ahead and learn from their example. I call upon every governor of good conscience, from Governor Newsom of California to Governor Mills of Maine, to order their state Treasury departments to STOP ALL PAYMENTS to the Federal government as of October 1st. All payroll companies should be directed to stop withholding federal taxes, all federal property within those state borders should stop receiving any state support or funding (and the electric companies should shut down their accounts), and no logistical support should be provided at any port for the collection of tariffs.

They want to see a government shutdown? Let's go ALL IN on a government shutdown.

DipperJC

So this could happen Tuesday, same day as all the Generals/Admirals are in town?

ah_no_wah

*Gregory Korte for Bloomberg News*  
  
US government shutdowns have become so common in recent decades that every federal agency has a playbook for how to implement them.  
  
But the Trump administration is quickly rewriting those plans in advance of the end of the fiscal year next Tuesday, making a potential shutdown even more unpredictable — and potentially disruptive — than any other in memory.  
  
Government shutdowns all have the same cause: Congress fails to approve new spending when previous spending bills expire. But their impact can vary based on timing, duration and quirks of the budget process that can make money available to some agencies but not others.  
  
[Read the full story to learn what to expect when the US government shuts down, from Social Security to air travel.](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-09-27/us-government-shutdown-potential-impacts-on-air-travel-social-security?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc1ODk5MTczNiwiZXhwIjoxNzU5NTk2NTM2LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUMzI1WjlHT1QwSkwwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJEMzU0MUJFQjhBQUY0QkUwQkFBOUQzNkI3QjlCRjI4OCJ9.NFysg22MDS_8CfWlEB8JfnqEMkQ1dbvkDt-XhnGWk1E)

bloomberg

This submission source is likely to have a soft paywall. If this article is not behind a paywall please report **this comment** for “breaks r/politics rules -&gt; custom -&gt; "incorrect flair"". [More information can be found here](https://www.reddit.com/r/politics/wiki/index/#wiki_paywalls)

*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/politics) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Shit we down. The government is a fascist Nazi shithole in Congress already.

Maximum-Ability5950

Please use [Good Faith](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskConservatives/comments/107i33m/announcement_rule_7_good_faith_is_now_in_effect) and the [Principle of Charity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_charity) when commenting. We are currently under an indefinite moratorium on gender issues, and anti-semitism and calls for violence will not be tolerated, especially when [discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskConservatives/comments/17ygktl/antisemitism_askconservative_and_you/).


*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/AskConservatives) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Great, the annual charade where the government pretends to care where our money goes.

aspieshavemorefun

Really not a fan of how government shutdown over the budget is becoming a regular feature.  Most likely a continuing resolution will be passed at the last minute.

PhysicsEagle

The fact that every year they go on vacation for WEEKS right before the budget is due is totally insane.

The reason they used to do that was because air conditioning didn’t exist and most of them lived in DC so they would take weeks to go home.

Neither of these things are true anymore, go on vacation in the beginning of the year

BAUWS45

Shut it down. 
These conservatives claim they’re fixing the debt, but in reality, they’re still steering us into a sovereign debt crisis while global confidence in the U.S. dollar as the reserve currency continues to crash.

Vindictives9688

It's one of the few tools available to the minority in the legislature to force compromise.  I say let the process play out.

BestJersey_WorstName

I think it demonstrates total incompetence and a complete failure to perform by legislators. 

Any group of employees that flat failed to produce the product they were paid hundreds of thousands of dollars per year to produce would be fired and I find it absolutely enraging that we continue to send these self aggrandizing, self promoting, double dealing lackwits back year after year. 

I vote against my local incumbent every two years for this exact reason and I hope against hope that the American populace will eventually get tired of repeatedly punching itself in the face with brass knuckles.

_Thorshammer_

Did Republicans not pass budget, BBB? Why did they not just pass all funding needed via that,  as it is immune to filibuster? Or am I missing something? Honestly, the whole filibuster thing should just go away.

BlockAffectionate413

Same thing every time. Both sides wait to the last minute to jockey for leverage. Speeches are made, some  areas of government cease operations.  But both sides inevitably bend before it gets too far.

My predictions.  The Democrats will call theRepublicans irresponsible and blame them for over spending, or cutting taxes too low.

And the Republicans will blame the Democrats for being a dead weight and refusing to cooperate or negotiate in good faith.

Theres enough wiggleroom where whichever side your on youre gonna have a reason to blame the other

IllustratorThin4799

It is all performative. Trump has the empty threat: "We will be firing all these people, permanently." Said the same thing with DOGE. The same thing last term. The unions, laws, and contracts that 99% of those employees have means they will have to live on rice and beans for a few months and then a court orders full back pay.

Schumer will cave because those people on rice and beans are mostly working class people who his party needs to win back.

threeriversbikeguy

Oh well won’t affect my life in any meaningful way…

External_Twist508

Trump is planning on using the shutdown to fire the government employees that he couldn't without it. Democrats better think twice. Because Trump REALLY wants them to throw him into that briar patch.

MedvedTrader

It’s just a tease. Sadly, they don’t really shut anything down.

bones_bones1

Democrats still have not come to terms with the House not being dysfunctional. They are still operating under the 2017 playbook where R factions weren’t united.  They have no idea how to deal with a united R caucus and as a result they will be blamed if the government shuts down.

tropic_gnome_hunter

Its a failure statement of those elected, receiving salary and benefits, to continue to use it as a political bargaining chip and also recess for weeks in advance of deadline.  Both sides are guilty, but its fair to establish a higher level of dissatisfaction towards the current majority given the leg vote strength.

Dinglesticks

[deleted]

Is it crazy to imagine that someday they'll figure out how much money we have to spend and then budget that amount instead of trillions of dollars more? 

Current-Wealth-756

The annual budget standoff has gotten old.  I wish our constitutional government was functional.

RelaxedPuppy

Please just fund the DoD. I would like to get paid.

awksomepenguin

One side seeks to restrict and reduce the federal government, the other is threatening to shutdown said gov if they don’t get more spending.  Who really holds the cards here?

myphriendmike

Didn't DOGE save all the money?.  Oh.. and didn't tariffs bring in all the money?.. oh....

Delta-IX

This seems to happen every three months. I just gather my popcorn, and kick back.

Rich-Cryptographer-7

Shut it down. The democrat demands are outrageous and it will be on them. Schumer can go kick rocks.

boisefun8

I’m fine with it. If we shut it down we will likely see what’s not really needed and what is, we can further eliminate the things that aren’t needed which should be most of it. Shutdown/threat of is just a feature now days 

LOL_YOUMAD

Everyone knows that we have no ceiling to our borrowing, but we all act like it still matters anyway. The debt ceiling is a relic of the pre-Bretton Woods era, and it only acts as political fodder at this point.

Dead_Squirrel_6

If the left really wants to die on that hill let them. Just look at Trump's tweet if you want to see how it will be used in the 2026 election campaigns. 

"The left shut down your government to try and give illegals your healthcare funding" and so on.

SoggyGrayDuck

Why should we support extending Obamacare tax credits without reform?

Dems want a fight on healthcare and now they are likely to get it.

Lower_Box_6169

If it can be shut down, it can be eliminated.  They have exemptions for "essential personnel".  Why in the world do we continue to pay salaries for non-essential personnel...the people who are affected by a shutdown?

tanknav

This will be a test to see if the media will cover this fairly relative to the shutdowns blamed on the GOP, or if the media will continue to blame the GOP even though the roles are reversed.

hackenstuffen

Actually I am all for it. They can do less damage that way.

Bitter-Assignment464

Shutdowns are not that complicated. If one side has a clean CR on the table and the other side won't take it, the side that won't take it is the one that is the active party shutting down the government. Maybe that shutdown is worth it, but you can't come out and say actually the other side is the one shutting down the government. Put your chest out and say we are shutting down the government because xyz. Own it.

Fignons_missing_8sec

What are you talking about is the first thought that comes to mind. 

Colodanman357

I’m tired of the democrats holding our government hostage. Republicans need to put them in their place.

gorbdocbdinaofbeldn

From my experience, your September paycheck will get paid, as it's allocated for FY25 funds, not FY26. Theoretically, pay could get delayed for October, but I've never been affected by it. They almost always pass Continuing Resolutions (CRs) that keep the machine going until a budget gets passed.

Otis_Winchester

In 22 years, my pay was never late. Several shut downs happened.

G4Disco

4 decades of this have told me the following (could surprise me but don't think so):

1.  Uniformed military pay will NOT be impacted.  I served through at least four serious shut-downs (and multiple smaller ones).  Congress doesn't have the stomach for pictures of Airman and Privates with suckling babies unable to pay their rent on the day it's due.  Likelihood of ANY shut-down impacting MilPay?  Extremely low.  

2.  Sometimes Departmental civs can be suspended (usually they call it a furlough).  This is nothing more than a political flex. They come back when the new money bill finally gets passed--typically days, once a couple weeks--with full back pay.  

EVERY time there's a panic in the news--congressmen and senators pontificating that the other side's being obstructionist.  Crying that the world's coming to an end.  All BS.  

So says the oracle.  Now I need an advil and a nap.

Neither_Pudding7719

Your September pay will still go through. If there is a shutdown the rest is up in the air. 

There is no law that ensures military receives back pay (people will down vote this because they think there is but only exists for civilian employees).

If there is a shut down remember that that USAA and navy federal will likely pay your normal check on time as a type of advance and will just take your money when it does come through. Also remember that there are other services you can reach out to for funds.

innyminnyminnymoe

Your payment for 1 Oct is already finalized (as of yesterday) and will be sent to your financial institution 2 business days before 1 Oct (so 29 Sep). This is to allow the transfer transaction to “clear” by the intended payday.

EcrofLeinad

That money is already accounted for and it gets sent to the banks before 1 October.

myownfan19

Fun fact, the military used to get paid on the last day of the month.  In a smoke and mirrors budget move in the 1980s, congress switched it to the first of the following month so they could claim a one time chance at reducing the defense budget for that FY (1/12th of the pay/allowances for the whole DOD).

we had  some major today make an announcement that we weren't getting paid.

mehjjg

This has literally happened every year that I’ve been enlisted. Everything works out just fine and you still get paid.

pipdog86

All new posts must have a brief statement from the user submitting explaining how their post relates to law or the courts in a response to this comment. **FAILURE TO PROVIDE A BRIEF RESPONSE MAY RESULT IN REMOVAL.**

*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/law) if you have any questions or concerns.*

Possibly true, but the stuff he does want would also be affected. There could be potential upsides; your average uninformed voter would see shit falling apart around them, and since they tend to blame the party in power for everything bad, it could lend a boost to a progressive movement. It would also signal to more informed voters that all those politicians who have been shouting about fascism and the collapse of our democracy are actually serious and not just spouting empty rhetoric. 

The alternative is to pass a budget that furthers Trumps agenda, and then he continues to shut down all the stuff you listed anyway. It’s a bit of a damned if you do, damned if you don’t, but at least we can go down fighting instead of cowering and complying.

Zedarean

This post reads as if you’re surprised and the rest of the world wasn’t predicting this a decade ago.

OakenArmor

We're already in a dictatorship of consent. He can do anything he wants until 2/3 of the senate decides to do something about it.

BlueWater321

You really think the American people won't be in the streets? A shutdown is the best option IMO. Some of us in the country need to feel the pain enough to get off their asses and into the streets. Shut this shit down.

TheEightAndOne

He also wants to blame Dems for the economy he created.

DW171



One thing ya gotta give pedophiles is they drive slow through school zones. 

Oh yeah, here are all of the Epstein Files that have either been leaked or released.

https://joshwho.net/EpsteinList/gov.uscourts.nysd.447706.1320.0-combined.pdf (verified court documents)  

https://joshwho.net/EpsteinList/black-book-unredacted.pdf (verified pre-Bondi) Trump is on page 85, or pdf pg. 80  

Trump’s name is circled. The circled individuals are the ones involved in the trafficking ring according to the person who originally released the book.  These people would be “The List “ Here is the story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsiKUXrlcac

Here's the flight logs https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/21165424-epstein-flight-logs-released-in-usa-vs-maxwell/

—————————other Epstein Information

https://cdn.factcheck.org/UploadedFiles/Johnson_TrumpEpstein_Calif_Lawsuit.pdf here’s a court doc of Epstein and Trump raping a 13 yr old together.

Some people think this claim is a hoax.  Here is Katies testimony on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnib-OORRRo

Epstein pleads the 5th when asked if he has ever “socialized” with underage girls in the presence of Trump.  
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2mpTy2cYDpA

Epstein Docs:
https://ia600705.us.archive.org/21/items/epsteindocs/

Epstein Bribes/Payments:  1 BILLION+
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7IrEi-ybzs

—————————other Trump information:

FBI coverup to remove Trumps name from the Epstein list
https://www.muellershewrote.com/p/the-epstein-cover-up-at-the-fbi

Trump admitting to peeping on 14-15 year old girls at around 1:40 on the Howard Stern Radio Show: https://youtu.be/iFaQL_kv_QY?si=vBs75kaxPjJJThka

Trump's promise to his daughter: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-ivanka-trump-dating-promise_n_57ee98cbe4b024a52d2ead02 “I have a deal with her. She’s 17 and doing great ― Ivanka. She made me promise, swear to her that I would never date a girl younger than her”

Trump rapes 13yr old girl: NY court docs -
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/4524664/doe-v-trump/

Trump's modeling agency was probably part of Jeffreys pipeline: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/08/donald-trump-model-management-illegal-immigration/

Trump-Epstein timeline:  https://thepresidential.medium.com/we-have-been-gaslit-about-donald-trump-and-jeffrey-epstein-for-four-years-fbda67c20f75

* Most of this info can also be found:
https://theepsteindocs.com/

Feel free to do your part and spread this info around so it’s never “lost” or “deleted”.

hippiedawg

At that point if a shutdown happens, a general strike would be the best course but the American people could never. We’ve become spineless.

ReefJR65

When the government shuts down and democracy is at the gallows, it'll be up to the people to save it. Laws will not matter. Amendments will not matter. The very constitution will not matter. The very laws we follow are holding us back and trump knows this. In order to save the very law, we must break it. We must do what is right, which is not the same as what is legal. We must forcefully remove each and every person in government and hard reset the country. We must Have not only measures but counter measures to ensure this type of thing never happens again.

Green-Inkling

The country is screwed either way. 

Either democrats vote for MORE MAGA bulshit, and enable Trump’s government to continue bulldozing rights and shredding the constitution which hurts lots of people long term, or they take a stand and refuse to negotiate with a terrorist, which means the government shuts down and programs people depend on are (temporarily) hurt. 

Democrats haven’t seemed to get that a shutdown is on the president and party in majority. The Trump admin is a circus full of clowns with grenades, hilarious right up until a pin gets pulled. You can’t let republicans continue to just bulldoze their way to whatever they want. Put forth real demands, and if MAGA doesn’t work towards meaningful compromise, shut this fucking show down and make the country know it’s on MAGA for not negotiating.

Lootthatbody

Of course he does, it's all part of project 2025 - Destroy the US federal government, crash the dollar and install crypto as the new world reserve currency. 

People don't realize how much their lives depend on the federal government functioning but they will learn and maybe that will be the catalyst for the revolution the US so desperately needs. 

The US needs a government for the humans not the just for the corporations, like it is now.

notyourstranger

The south will probably bring about its own version of protest by combining a desire for civil war with the passion of the rapture to be real rather than admit they’ve been wrong the whole damned time. They won’t get further than Baltimore, Chicago or Portland though.

Mooseguncle1

Previous_Month_555

Tens of thousands of angry people with nothing left to lose and lots of directed anger towards a tangible reason they're in dire straits? With winter coming up this could get strange.

lordunholy

kiwimuz

Pobb1eB0nk

Who would stop him if he did?  
Maybe America needs to seriously reform it's electoral system and this is a stage you're going to have to go through before you get a grown up 21st century system.

PartTimeZombie

mtnclimbingotter02

Chaos is the point. They need chaos so they can send in the military and take over.

They need chaos to suspend elections and to utilize emergency powers 

They want the chaos.

Contemplating_Prison

Let’s put it this way: the GOP playbook has been for decades to fuck shit up then blame the other side when they come into power to fix things, then gaslight people into thinking things are worse with the fixes than things were before all because the shit they fucked up has lasting consequences that take decades to fix. Rinse and repeat.

And it keeps fucking working because progressives keep saving conservatives from their own leaders. 

So let’s stop bailing out the conservatives who want everything to get even worse. The things moving the needle are the maga cultists realizing all the stuff they voted for and supported from their god leader is starting to hurt them, not just the “liberal demons.” Let the government get shut down, because continuing to use LGBTQ people and minorities as sacrifices to keep playing nice isn’t acceptable. 

We’re not acceptable casualties so people can keep pretending things aren’t bad. Stop treating us like we are.

nekosaigai

Walmarts and Dollar Generals in rural areas will be the first to fall if people get desperate.

Malodoror

Let the French Revolution begin, bitches!!!!!!

AnemosMaximus

Just because he wants it doesn't mean we should expect Schumer to remain spineless and give in to whatever is being offered. The only action Democrats in Senate can take that actually shows they're willing to fight for us and they actually care about what's best for the vast majority of Americans is to allow the shutdown to happen.    
Yes, it will most likely be rough. Check that: Yes, it will most likely be ROUGH. But to prevent a shutdown primarily because of what Trump might do, is to be complicit in what follows.

horseydeucey

That’s fine. Give them what they voted for.

UpstairsProcedure2

One thing I learned while in the reserves during a government shutdown….no drill

ThyBuffTaco

Trump doesn't want it. Didn't last time and doesn't now.

Trump has and will continue to do this dictatorship and raiding of these programs/departments regardless of Government shutdown.

The key is Democrats shouldn't fund nor be complicit in it.

jarena009

America is a monopsony. the future is going to become modern slavery, with people and both employees and residents of either black rock or one of the large property firms. A.i is going to eliminate most of not all start up positions. that is contributing to this large shutdown of America in general.

Psychological-Box660

Unfortunately, as a non us person, i don't see any way out of this. Too many of you, meaning millions, still massively support him.

soomiyoo

Y'all are thinking too small. 

My bet is he wants a shutdown so he can fast-track a SC case where he'll demand *emergency powers* and strip the power of the purse from Congress.

SignificantWhile6685

Does this just feed into his plan to create riots for him to need to control people?

Mathemodel

2028 general strike just might come early. 🤷‍♂️

AppleParasol

jcoddinc

Dude, Trump and the Republicans have done it already. Did you not know about the Big Beautiful Bill and DOGE?

rimbaudian2017

Yeah- so we are damned if we do and damned if we don’t.

NotAFanOfLeonMusk

The shutdown is a power play by Trump. He prioritize polibti s over human life

GingerMoonbeam-

ICE agents would continue to work but not get paid? Let’s see how much they really love their job then

djfxonitg

A government shutdown should include his SS detail. No government, no golf dumpy.

mechkelly

How the fuck did you guys let it get to this point? Several hundred million people and Trump/Kamala are the best you could come up with to run for president?? That’s the absolute top quality people you have? You’re doomed.

Spivey1

Yes. I can see where you're coming from. But there's another side of this you haven't considered yet. 

And that's all the Republicans in congress. 

They want to keep their jobs. And if the government stays shut down for an extended period of time they're going to have a very difficult time getting reelected. Now I'm guessing Trump has somehow promised them that they will come along for the ride when he takes over the United States. But I have a distinct feeling that they are not all on board with a government coup. 

Not a single previous government shutdown has resulted in the majority party getting what it wanted. Nor has a government shutdown successfully been blamed on the minority party. 

This is just a bunch of idiots that haven't bothered to look at history.

Lasivian

I mean.  What’s the difference.  Congress and Supreme Court are cool with fas

Xpmonkey

I mean can't be a dictator if the military's not being paid

zildux

On the other hand that leaves a lot of pissed of people with nothing to do…

djmcfuzzyduck

They're already illegally shutting down parts of the govt they don't like. It's better to shut it all down now at once so everyone feels the full force of it. They should have shut it down in Februrary or March (whenever it came up earlier in the year) but Aipac Shakur's donors wouldn't allow that because then line would go down

Spiff426

WickedKoala

As the deadline for federal funding approaches, the U.S. government faces a looming shutdown, with President Trump refusing to compromise with Democrats, potentially affecting millions of federal employees and services.

U.S. Government Shutdown 2025

Why This Matters

Public Sentiment Summary

Highlighted Comments

Parties Involved

What the people want