As the Schumer Shutdown drags on, Democrats are once again dusting off their favorite political crutch — blaming Donald Trump. It’s a tired playbook meant to distract from their own central role in causing the shutdown and prolonging it well past the first week.
Let’s be clear: this standoff didn’t happen because of Trump; it happened because Democrats dug in their heels to protect handouts for illegal immigrants — including taxpayer-funded health insurance. Rather than working to reopen the government and put Americans first, they’ve chosen to prioritize the interests of non-citizens over their own constituents, all while pretending it’s someone else’s fault.
Reports out of California on Monday indicated that the air traffic control tower at Hollywood Burbank Airport was expected to be “unmanned” for several hours because “the government shutdown triggered a shortage of air traffic controllers.”
According to ABC 7, while air traffic controllers are classified as essential federal employees and are required to report for duty during a shutdown, several reportedly called in sick rather than work without pay.
Unsurprisingly, California Gov. Gavin Newsom quickly seized on the reports, blaming President Trump for the staffing shortages and flight delays tied to the government shutdown:
Thanks, @realDonaldTrump!
Burbank Airport has ZERO air traffic controllers from 4:15pm to 10pm today because of YOUR government shutdown. https://t.co/bnfuI9CKiR
— Governor Gavin Newsom (@CAgovernor) October 6, 2025
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who held a press conference earlier Monday outlining the causes of flight delays and reaffirming the administration’s commitment to passenger safety, pushed back sharply against Gov. Gavin Newsom’s remarks.
Duffy dismissed Newsom’s comments as political posturing, emphasizing that the administration has worked tirelessly to minimize disruption and protect travelers despite the funding impasse. He reminded reporters that responsibility for the ongoing shutdown lies squarely with Democrats:
News flash!
Your Democrat friends shut down the government because they want to make Americans pay the health care for illegals. And no state has more illegals than California!
You care more about illegals than our hard-working American air traffic controllers.
If you’re looking for someone to blame, look in the mirror – we all know it’s your favorite thing to do.
News flash!
Your Democrat friends shut down the government because they want to make Americans pay the health care for illegals. And no state has more illegals than California!
You care more about illegals than our hard-working American air traffic controllers.
If you’re… https://t.co/JMWNHUSjBW
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) October 7, 2025
And just to set the record straight — despite the media hysteria over “unmanned” towers and shutdown chaos, flights at Burbank were never flying blind. The airspace was being safely managed by highly trained TRACON controllers out of San Diego:
Although the air traffic control tower is unmanned, Southern California TRACON is controlling the air traffic in the airport’s airspace, Alsop said. The San Diego-based organization is operated by the FAA and uses radar technology to ensure the safe flow of planes through airspace surrounding dozens of airports across Southern California.
The Los Angeles Times quoted an airport spokesperson on Tuesday morning confirming that operations at Hollywood Burbank Airport were “back to normal.”
Meanwhile, the Schumer Shutdown grinds on — prolonged by the stubborn, politically motivated demands of Newsom and his fellow California Democrats. Rather than working toward a compromise to reopen the government, they’ve doubled down on obstruction, putting partisan grandstanding ahead of the American people.
