Senator Lindsey Graham Faces Backlash for Disney World Visit During Shutdown

Graham defended the trip, saying he only made a brief stop after meetings in Florida.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 1:24pm

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Senator Lindsey Graham is facing criticism from both constituents and social media users for visiting Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Photos of Graham at Magic Kingdom and Chef Mickey's were published by entertainment news outlet TMZ, prompting outrage as thousands of federal workers went without full pay during the shutdown.

Why it matters

The optics of a senator vacationing at a theme park while federal workers struggled without paychecks has sparked a backlash, highlighting the political divide and public frustration over the government shutdown.

The details

The photos show Graham in the 'Tangled' section of Magic Kingdom, carrying a bubble wand and talking with an employee. Another photo shows him eating at Chef Mickey's at the Contemporary Resort. Graham defended the visit, saying he only made a brief stop at Disney World after meetings in Florida to discuss the possibility of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

  • The partial U.S. government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reached 46 days on April 1, surpassing last year's full shutdown for the longest in history.
  • As of March 29, the shutdown became the longest government shutdown in US history, with 44 days, counting partial shutdowns.
  • The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) previous funding agreement lapsed on Friday, Feb. 13, as Congress failed to reach a new funding agreement in time.

The players

Lindsey Graham

A South Carolina senator who is receiving backlash for visiting Walt Disney World during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

TMZ

An entertainment news outlet that published photos of Graham at Magic Kingdom and Chef Mickey's, prompting criticism.

Steve Witkoff

A Trump official that Graham met with in South Florida to discuss the possibility of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

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What they’re saying

“I was invited to a meeting in South Florida on Friday with Trump official Steve Witkoff and others to talk about the possibility of normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel. I went to Orlando to meet friends after. I'm already back in South Carolina.”

— Lindsey Graham, Senator

“I voted 7 times to fully fund the government. Call a Democrat.”

— Lindsey Graham, Senator

What’s next

The Senate returns at 3 p.m. ET on Monday, April 13, to potentially vote on the government shutdown.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the growing public frustration with politicians perceived as out-of-touch during a prolonged government shutdown that has left many federal workers struggling financially. It also underscores the deep partisan divide in Congress that has prevented a resolution to the impasse.