Sen. James Lankford, U.S. Senator from Oklahoma, used his social media platform in mid-October 2025 to criticize Democratic lawmakers for their role in the ongoing government shutdown. In a series of posts, Lankford expressed concern about the impact of the shutdown and called for bipartisan cooperation to reopen federal operations.
On October 15, 2025, Lankford wrote, “Democrats are keeping the government shut down so they can hold their anti-Trump ‘No Kings’ protests – but the American people aren’t looking for political theater, they want us to get our work done. And that’s exactly what the @SenateGOP is focused on doing.”
Later that day, he posted another message stating, “Democrats seem intent on being the ‘resistance’ to Trump with this shutdown. But in doing so, they’re resisting peace in Gaza, a growing economy, and a secure border. Their Trump Derangement Syndrome is now hurting service members, air traffic controllers, and other federal”.
On October 16, 2025, Lankford commented on the duration of the stalemate: “Day 16 of the government shutdown. For the 10th time, Democrats voted to keep it that way. Strange as it may seem, shutdowns didn’t even exist before 1980 when a century-old law was redefined to create this mess. Let’s get the government back open. The American people expect us”.
The current government shutdown marks its sixteenth day amid partisan disagreement over budget legislation. Historically, federal government shutdowns have occurred since changes made in 1980 regarding interpretation of appropriations laws; prior to this period such funding gaps did not result in widespread closure of federal agencies or furloughs.
Lankford’s comments reflect broader tensions between Republican and Democratic lawmakers during high-stakes negotiations over federal spending and policy priorities.
