Sen. Adam Schiff Faces Backlash Over Government Shutdown Comments as Political Tables Turn

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Adam Schiff (D-CA) is drawing sharp criticism after a video from 2023 resurfaced showing him strongly opposing government shutdowns under then-President Joe Biden. Fast forward to 2025, with Donald Trump back in the White House and a shutdown once again looming, Schiff is now placing blame squarely on Republicans — a move that many see as a stark contradiction.

The 2023 clip, now circulating widely across social media, shows Schiff warning about the dire impact of a government shutdown, emphasizing the potential harm to federal employees, airport security workers, and military personnel. At the time, Democrats controlled both the Senate and the White House, and Schiff used the moment to call for bipartisan responsibility to keep the government functioning.

“Had the government shut down, hundreds of thousands of people would not have gotten their paychecks. Federal employees would have been furloughed. TSA workers would have been forced to work without pay,” Schiff said in the video.

However, Schiff’s tone has shifted dramatically. In a recently posted TikTok video, he blamed Republicans — now in control of both chambers of Congress and the White House — for the current budget impasse, insisting they are fully responsible for the potential shutdown.

“Is the government shutting down? That depends entirely on Donald Trump and the Republicans. They control the House, the Senate, and the presidency. It’s up to them to prevent this,” Schiff stated.

He went on to advocate for a short-term funding agreement to give lawmakers time to negotiate full-year appropriations, while criticizing what he described as a “partisan resolution” passed by Republicans. According to Schiff, the measure would alter key funding levels and limit Congress’s ability to challenge Trump’s economic policies, including his use of tariffs.

This abrupt change in narrative has fueled accusations of hypocrisy from Schiff’s critics. Conservative voices on social media quickly pointed out that Schiff had supported short-term spending bills, also known as continuing resolutions (CRs), during Biden’s presidency — measures that allowed Democrats to push through elements of their legislative agenda without a full bipartisan agreement.

One user sarcastically wrote,

“I’m not a violent person, but don’t you just want to punch this guy in the face every time he opens his lie hole? (Get it? I changed pie hole to lie hole. I want credit for that!)”

Another quipped,

“Look up ‘hypocrisy’ in the dictionary and you’ll see Adam Schiff’s face.”

Additional comments were more direct and politically charged:

“Can’t believe a word any Democrat says, especially Schiff — a proven and serial liar.”
“Adam Schiff voted for all of Biden’s CRs. Now the Democrats are playing chicken, hoping Republicans take the blame. They’ve used our tax dollars for political warfare. This has to stop.”

While the political blame game heats up in Washington, the federal government is also undergoing significant internal changes under the new administration. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by White House advisor Elon Musk, announced this week that it had canceled over 200,000 federal employee credit cards in an effort to cut costs and eliminate waste.

According to DOGE, the government had an estimated 4.6 million active credit cards in fiscal year 2024, with over 90 million unique transactions. A post shared Tuesday by the agency on X (formerly Twitter) confirmed that an internal audit of 16 federal departments is ongoing, with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of the Interior cited for making “great progress.”

The crackdown on government spending follows an executive order signed by President Trump earlier this month, which called for a 30-day freeze on all federal employee credit card usage. The order was framed as a major step toward “transforming federal spending” and ensuring that taxpayer dollars are being used responsibly.

“We’re finding massive overlap, unnecessary expenses, and in some cases, outright fraud,” DOGE stated in its report. “This isn’t just about cutting cards. It’s about rebuilding trust with the American taxpayer.”

This shift in fiscal policy has been well-received by some conservative groups, who have long pushed for accountability in federal agencies. However, critics argue that aggressive cost-cutting measures could result in operational delays and unintended disruptions within key government services.

Back on Capitol Hill, tensions continue to mount as both parties prepare for another standoff over federal funding. With the deadline approaching and negotiations stalled, federal workers and agencies are once again left in limbo.

As for Senator Schiff, the controversy over his shifting stance on shutdowns underscores a broader issue — the political weaponization of budget negotiations and the increasing distrust many Americans feel toward their elected officials, regardless of party affiliation.