Trump, Republicans Blamed for U.S. Government Shutdown Amid Partisan Dispute

The ongoing U.S. government shutdown has resulted in a fierce blame game between President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats, with each side accusing the other of causing the stalemate. Senator Cory Booker criticized Trump for the shutdown's severe impact on Americans' health insurance and healthcare services, describing it as a "tsunami of Donald Trump’s creation" that threatens millions of Americans' well-being. Polling data shows the American public and independents largely blame Trump and Republicans more than Democrats for the shutdown, which centers around health care subsidy disputes. House Speaker Mike Johnson accused Senate Democrats of using the shutdown as political cover and focusing on emergency health funding for undocumented immigrants, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries countered that Trump and Republicans have gone silent on negotiations and criticized Trump's use of AI-generated videos mocking Democrats. The White House has threatened permanent federal worker layoffs if Democrats do not resolve the impasse, with Trump calling any layoffs "Democrat layoffs" and asserting Republicans are ready to end the shutdown. Both sides remain entrenched as the shutdown extends into its second week, with federal employees and Americans feeling the increasing impacts.