The funding crisis is now in its third week, and its effects are becoming more serious. Americans are starting to notice, too.
Who is to blame for the government shutdown? Americans speak out
From furloughed workers to small business owners, Americans told USA TODAY Network how the government shutdown is impacting their lives.
- The federal government shutdown is entering its third week as lawmakers continue to remain in a political stalemate.
- The government shutdown has caused airlines to ground, museums and parks to close, and federal employees to be furloughed.
- Americans across the country are feeling the effects and are holding both political parties, Congress as a whole, and the president accountable.
Lawmakers in Congress remain at odds over when and how to reopen the federal government, and Americans in both red and blue states are starting to take notice.
“There’s a lot of crazy stuff going on in both parties,” Scott Wickham said as he walked through the famous Spanish moss-covered trees in Savannah, Georgia. “In the past, we were able to avoid government shutdowns because both parties were working together, but we’re not doing that now. So that’s the problem.”
The funding crisis is now in its third week, and its effects are becoming more serious. Airlines are experiencing turmoil. Many landmarks are closed, including famous museums and zoos. Staff numbers in national parks have been significantly reduced. Massive furloughs and layoffs are causing disruption across the federal workforce. And funding for critical safety net programs like food stamps is running dry.
Still, lawmakers remain in their respective political corners. Democrats are demanding that Republicans strike a deal that improves health care for Americans in exchange for a minority vote to reopen the government. Republicans say they won’t negotiate until the lights are turned on again. There is outrage at the Capitol.
These dynamics can change at any time. But so far, no one in Washington with the authority to end the government shutdown has taken any noticeable action, leaving Americans feeling the pain of a prolonged crisis.
So how is the government shutdown impacting Americans, and who is to blame? We asked Americans in key states, including presidential battleground states and states that will hold crucial midterm elections in 2026, for their views on the impasse.
Melissa Thomas, 30, of Lansing, Michigan, said she tried calling about her Medicaid health insurance but couldn’t get anyone on the phone. She said this is unusual and troubling because there are important questions that need to be answered.
Thomas said he doesn’t know who is responsible for the government shutdown, but that lawmakers in Washington need to resolve the issue.
“I just hope they can figure out what’s going on and get back to what the American people know,” she said.
During a visit to Wilmington, North Carolina, Tim Prehal of Litchfield, Minnesota, said he expected the shutdown to get even worse, especially when it comes to travel.
“I condemn the entire political system,” he said. “There is no one in Congress, no one is doing their job. They are not working for the people. They are working for themselves and the party.”
Samantha Worrell of Burgaw, North Carolina, said Republicans are to blame, “because they control the House, the Senate, and the presidency, and they know that Democrats won’t vote for anything that hurts people, especially around health care.”
Julia Hamilton, who lives in Mebane, North Carolina, was more blunt. She pinned the blame on one person: Trump.
“He’s all talkative, I feel like he doesn’t really know what he’s doing, and he doesn’t really do much for us,” she said.
Tommy Grimm, a Pensacola veteran with deep ties to U.S. Naval Aviation, said he hasn’t been directly hit by the shutdown yet, but he knows others who have been affected. Many people are suffering without getting paid.
When it comes to responsibility, Grimm said it goes both ways.
“If Hamas and Israel can reach a peace agreement, why can’t our members of Congress reach a peace agreement?” he said. “It’s ridiculous, it’s really ridiculous. Their job is to take care of the American people, not fight them day and night. They should stop.”
Contributor: Miles Blumhardt of The Coloradoan in Fort Collins, Colorado. Tallahassee Democrats James Cole and William Hatfield; Brittany Misencik of the Pensacola News Journal. Valentina Palm of the Palm Beach Post. Ansley Franco of the Savannah Morning News. Paul Egan, Arpan Lobo, Clara Hendrickson and Emily Lawler of the Detroit Free Press. Ian Lenahan of the Portsmouth Herald. Bob Liepa of the Wilmington (N.C.) Star-News. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Appleton Post-Crescent, Green Bay Press-Gazette.
