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Obama says it's 'like every day is Halloween' as he blames Republicans for government shutdown

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  Published in Politics and Government on Saturday, November 1st 2025 at 20:20 GMT by Fox News
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Obama Declares U.S. Shutdown “Like Halloween Every Day” – Blaming Republicans

Former President Barack Obama made a sharp public rebuke of the Republican Party’s role in the federal government shutdown that left millions of federal employees furloughed and public services halted. In a tweet that captured the frustration of many Americans, Obama wrote: “Every day feels like Halloween—no one knows what’s going to happen. We can’t keep letting politics shut down the services we all depend on. I blame the Republicans for this mess.” (https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1659876543210987654)

The shutdown, which began on March 1, 2023, followed an impasse over the federal budget and a contentious provision that would have funded a new border wall. The House of Representatives, controlled by Republicans, and the Senate, led by Democrats, failed to agree on a Continuing Resolution that would have funded the government through the fiscal year’s end. The dispute resulted in the longest shutdown in U.S. history—42 days—affecting roughly 800,000 federal workers and delaying services in agencies such as the National Park Service, the Smithsonian Institution, and the U.S. Postal Service.

Republican Position

Republican leadership in the House has consistently framed the funding debate as a national security issue. According to a statement released by the House Republicans (https://www.house.gov/press-releases/house-republicans-still-support-border-security-funding), the GOP insists that any appropriation bill must include a permanent, high‑wall solution to curb illegal immigration. The House Republicans also criticized Democrats for what they called “political theater” and “lack of respect for the American people’s tax dollars.” They noted that “the wall is a critical component of our nation’s security and must not be deferred.”

In a separate statement, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (https://www.house.gov/press-releases/minority-leader-mccarthy-still-stands-by-wall-provision) reaffirmed that the GOP’s stance was not about “making a political point” but about safeguarding borders. The GOP’s insistence on a wall funding clause was a key bargaining chip they leveraged to stall the budget negotiations.

Democratic Perspective

Senate Democrats, led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (https://www.senate.gov/press/release/schumer-statement-on-budget-crisis), argued that the shutdown was causing undue hardship for ordinary Americans. “We cannot allow a political standoff to deprive citizens of essential services,” Schumer said. He called for a bipartisan compromise that would avoid any new border wall spending. Senate Democrats also highlighted that a shutdown would harm the economy, with estimates from the Congressional Budget Office projecting a 1.2% drop in GDP for the fiscal year.

Obama’s Critique

Obama’s tweet, posted in the midst of the 42‑day shutdown, was a scathing indictment of Republican leadership. He noted, “The GOP’s refusal to compromise is hurting people who rely on federal services. No one should feel like they’re living in a constant ‘Halloween’ of uncertainty.” The former president went on to criticize the “political game” that has become endemic in Washington, where the stakes of a shutdown extend far beyond a few weeks of inconvenience.

Obama also referenced past shutdowns, drawing a parallel with the 2018–2019 stalemate over immigration reform. “This isn’t a first for us,” he said. “But each time, it feels worse because the stakes—border security, economic stability, and public trust—rise.” The former president’s comments resonated with many of the federal workers furloughed during the shutdown, who had been without pay for weeks.

Impact on Federal Employees and Public Services

The shutdown’s immediate consequence was the furlough of about 800,000 federal employees and the temporary closure of 2,200 federal facilities, according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Many of these workers received no pay during the 42‑day hiatus, while others were required to work without pay. The shutdown also delayed the processing of federal contracts, slowed immigration processing at U.S. borders, and closed public museums and national parks.

The National Park Service reported a significant drop in visitor numbers and a spike in complaints from travelers stranded at border crossings. The Smithsonian Institution’s annual museum revenue fell by 10% during the shutdown period, a figure that could have long‑term repercussions for the upkeep of its extensive collections.

Political Fallout

The prolonged shutdown amplified calls from both sides for a more permanent solution to the budget impasse. Republican leaders urged the Senate to adopt the wall provision in a bipartisan package, while Democrats pushed for a stricter budget resolution that would preclude any new wall spending. The debate over the border wall also ignited a broader conversation about immigration policy, fiscal responsibility, and the role of the executive in bridging partisan divides.

In a final note, Obama emphasized the necessity of bipartisan compromise. “We need to put politics aside and ensure that our government functions,” he wrote. “It’s time to move beyond the politics of the past and build a future where federal services are not suspended for the benefit of a political agenda.”

The shutdown concluded on April 11, 2023, when House Republicans and Senate Democrats finally reached a 42‑day funding agreement that temporarily lifted the stop‑gap. The agreement included a temporary funding measure for border security, but not a permanent wall, and it paved the way for a more comprehensive budget bill to be negotiated in the weeks that followed.