The Shutdown Blame Game Is Over — and Trump Lost

Fewer voters see Trump as "tough" and "energetic" now than they did at the beginning of his term.

Oct 07, 2025

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The numbers are in, and the American people know who’s responsible for the government shutdown: Donald Trump and the Republican Party.

According to a CBS News/YouGov poll conducted October 1–3, nearly 2 in 5 Americans blame Trump and the GOP for the shutdown. History tells us that whoever gets blamed early stays blamed — and…

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A guest post by

Andrew Wilson

Wilson is the Political Director at the Lincoln Project, where he he leads political strategy and survey research He works to translate data into messaging and strategy that shapes the organization's broader political operations.