January 1, GOP Stands Strong as Trump Gains Support

Wyatt’s Take

• Trump’s approval rating climbs even during the shutdown.
• Most folks now see Democrats as leading the shutdown push.
• Republicans say they’re holding the line for the American people.

New polls show former President Trump’s approval rating ticking up by a point despite the ongoing government shutdown. Back in 2018 and 2019, these shutdowns hurt his support, but now the numbers tell a different story.

“This shutdown hasn’t even hit Donald Trump’s support at all. His net approval rating is actually up a point,” said CNN’s Harry Enten.

These days, fewer Americans blame Trump for the mess. In the last big shutdown, over 60% pointed the finger at him—now it’s under half at 48%.

Right now, Trump sits at a 45.4% approval rating across major polls, up from 45.1% at the start of the shutdown, while his disapproval dropped too. His average approval score rose by 1.5% since the shutdown began.

Democrats argue they’re fighting to lower healthcare costs, but Republicans say their Medicaid reforms keep illegal aliens out and put Americans first. Democrats, according to the GOP, want to undo that work and focus on non-citizens.

Many think Republicans are winning the messaging game, especially with Trump gaining steam and less blame coming his way. Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, said,

“I think a lot of people are not awake to the fact that this time, the Democrats are leading the efforts to shut the government down.”

He added,

“I think the Democrats, the heat is going to continue to build on the Democrats.”

Rep. Rudy Yakym, R-Ind., chimed in,

“Democrats would clearly rather play politics than do right by the American people” and pointed to their willingness to hold up troop paychecks in what he called the “Chuck Schumer shutdown.” Yakym also noted, “We’re doing our part to keep the government open, keep the government funded.”

The House has already passed a bill to fund the government, but the Senate needs 60 votes to push it through. Republicans now hold 53 seats and have Democrats joining them to reopen the government. Yakym urged just five more Democrats to step up and help end the shutdown.

Kennedy warned that Democrats’ plan for closed-door negotiations on a $1.5 trillion package looks bad for them. He argued,

“This is nonsense that a one and a half trillion dollar demand from Chuck Schumer on the other side saying we should just go into a back room.”

Speaker Johnson and top GOP leaders aren’t backing down and say the party should hold firm. Republicans seem sure the longer this goes, the tougher it gets for Democrats to justify their stance.

It’s a high-stakes standoff with everyday Americans caught in the middle. Are you feeling the impact, or just tired of the grandstanding in Washington?

Wyatt Matters

When politicians bicker, it’s regular folks who pay the price. This standoff shows how far removed DC can be from real-life priorities like jobs, paychecks, and border security. Middle America wants leaders willing to stand their ground for the country—not get caught up in backroom deals.

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