Back in 2013, the U.S. government shut down for 17 days. That shutdown was driven by Republicans trying to stop the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) from taking effect. Even though the law’s funding wasn’t affected by the shutdown, Republicans still refused to approve a budget unless the law was delayed or defunded. Eventually, the Republicans gave up, and the shutdown ended. Democrats were seen as having won that battle because they protected the health care law and also managed to raise the debt limit. But in the next election, Republicans still gained more seats in Congress, so it didn’t hurt them much politically.
During those earlier shutdowns, the media used to ask Donald Trump, who at the time was just a celebrity businessman, what he thought. He blamed President Obama, saying a good leader would get everyone in a room and sort it out. He claimed that Obama wasn’t strong enough to do that and said if he were president, he’d fix it by bringing everyone together.
Fast forward to 2018, and Trump himself was president. He oversaw the longest shutdown in U.S. history — 35 days — because he wouldn’t sign any budget that didn’t include money for his border wall. Democrats refused to give in. When the situation started affecting air travel, Congress passed a funding bill with enough support to override a veto, forcing Trump to sign it. He later declared a national emergency just so he could get the money from other parts of the budget. For all his previous talk about leadership, Trump handled that shutdown worse than any president before him.
Now, in 2025, Trump is president again and there’s another shutdown happening. And according to polls, most Americans blame him and the Republicans in Congress for it. People aren’t happy with either side, but Trump is taking a big share of the blame.
Despite all his tough talk in the past about being a strong leader who could get deals done, Trump seems uninterested in solving the current crisis. He’s more focused on bragging about foreign policy wins, especially a peace deal in Gaza that he claims credit for. His ego is sky-high, and he’s acting like a global hero — even saying he’s ended eight wars and might soon add a ninth. He throws out wild claims, like suggesting other presidents started wars because they were “stupid,” and boasting that he alone knows how to make real deals.
But his so-called peace efforts aren’t all that peaceful. He continues military actions in the Caribbean and made disturbing comments about possibly approving more violence in Gaza. When violence flared up again there, he posted on Truth Social threatening to step in with military force — as if peace depends entirely on his moods and posts.
Meanwhile, back in the U.S., the government is still shut down, and Trump doesn’t seem to care. This is especially striking considering how often he criticized Obama for not “leading.” Now he has the power, and he’s doing nothing. Even his own supporters are starting to notice.
One Trump voter from Missouri, Sophia Cole, said she blames both Trump and Congress for the shutdown. She still expects Trump, as president, to make a deal and fix things. But that’s not happening. Trump sold himself as a bold leader and a master negotiator — someone who could walk into a room and solve any problem. He says he’s ended wars and tamed international powers. So why can’t he even manage a basic budget deal at home?
This disconnect is becoming obvious to more and more people, even within his base. They’re starting to ask: If he’s such a strong leader, why can’t he solve this? Where’s the “America First” energy he promised?
For the Democrats, this situation may actually help them politically — as long as they don’t back down. The longer they hold firm, the clearer it becomes that Trump’s image as a powerful, decisive leader is just that: an image. Behind the scenes, he appears tired, distracted, and far more interested in playing global hero than actually running the country. Every day this shutdown continues, that truth becomes harder for even his fans to ignore.
