Direct answer: As of early November 2025, the prevailing view in national polls is that the blame for the government shutdown is fairly widely distributed across both parties, with ongoing sentiment that President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress bear the largest share of responsibility, though Democrats are also seen as culpable by a substantial portion of the public. Context and key findings from recent surveys:
- A plurality or large share of Americans have attributed significant blame to Trump and Republicans in Congress for the shutdown, with several polls placing them at the top of the blame scale. This pattern has been reported in multiple major outlets as the stalemate has persisted.
- Public opinion shows a broad perception that both parties hold some responsibility, but the Republican side has often been viewed as more culpable in the immediate shutdown crisis, according to AP-NORC, Reuters/Ipsos, and NBC News polling taken during the shutdown’s progression.
- By early November 2025, more than half of voters in some surveys were blaming Trump and Republicans, while a sizable minority continued to assign blame to Democrats in Congress as well. The distribution varies by poll and respondent subgroup, reflecting a deeply partisan landscape.
- Coverage around the time showed that the blame game also intersects with perceptions of who owns other policy outcomes (e.g., economy, taxes, and federal services), influencing how different demographics view accountability.
Notes on interpretation:
- Blame levels shift with polling dates and framing questions (e.g., “Who is responsible for the shutdown?” versus “Who bears more blame?”). It’s common for different polls to show varying margins and party breakdowns, though a consistent theme is heightened scrutiny of Trump and Republicans among many respondents.
- Some outlets emphasize that blame is not confined to a single party, and while Republicans often receive the largest share, Democrats’ responsibility is also acknowledged by a meaningful portion of the public, especially as the shutdown persists into its longer-than-average duration.
If you’d like, I can pull up the latest poll results with exact percentages and sample sizes from specific dates or outlets, and summarize how blame has shifted over time.
