Pressure Mounts on Congress to Return During Shutdown

TMZ and Trump call for lawmakers to cut short recess as federal workers go without pay

Apr. 1, 2026 at 4:18pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

With a record-long partial government shutdown continuing and some federal workers going without pay, pressure is growing on Congress to cut short its regularly scheduled recess. TMZ has posted paparazzi-style videos and photos of lawmakers vacationing in places like Las Vegas and Disney World, fueling backlash. President Trump has also hinted he might invoke rarely used powers to call Congress back into session.

Why it matters

The ongoing government shutdown has disrupted travel and left some federal workers without paychecks, raising public frustration with lawmakers who appear to be on vacation. There are questions about what Congress could accomplish by returning, given the deep impasse over funding.

The details

The Senate reached a bipartisan funding deal last week, but House Speaker Mike Johnson rejected it, and House Republicans passed their own version before heading for the exits. TMZ's videos and photos of lawmakers on break have racked up millions of views and added to the growing public backlash.

  • The partial government shutdown has lasted a record-long 45 days.
  • Congress is currently on a regularly scheduled recess.

The players

TMZ

A celebrity news and gossip website that has turned its attention to tracking down paparazzi-style shots of lawmakers on break from Washington during the government shutdown.

President Donald Trump

The President has hinted he might invoke rarely used powers to call Congress back into session during the shutdown.

Mike Johnson

The House Speaker who rejected the bipartisan funding deal reached in the Senate.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

The takeaway

The government shutdown has reached a deeper impasse than ever, with lawmakers appearing to be on vacation while federal workers go without pay. This has fueled public frustration and calls for Congress to return to work, though it's unclear what they could accomplish at this stage.