John Garamendi, a U.S. Congressman representing California’s 8th district since 2009, has posted several statements on his Twitter account criticizing the ongoing government shutdown and its impact on federal programs and workers.
On October 30, 2025, Garamendi wrote: “One paragraph. That’s all it would take for Republicans to end the shutdown, restore SNAP, and pay our troops and federal workers. But they’d rather keep the government closed than extend ACA subsidies that lower health care costs for millions.”
A day later, on October 31, 2025, he commented on former President Donald Trump’s actions during the shutdown: “Trump fancies himself a dealmaker yet, gives $40 billion to Argentina and the government is still shutdown. @meiselasb nails it: ‘It’s the arsonist blaming the firefighter.'”
In another tweet from October 31, Garamendi criticized Trump’s handling of food assistance funding: “Trump’s plan is to starve Americans. Trump can fund SNAP tomorrow, but he’d rather watch millions go hungry for his political games. At least Marie Antoinette said, ‘Let them eat cake.'”
John Garamendi has represented California’s 8th District in Congress since 2009 after succeeding Ellen Tauscher. He previously served in both the California State Assembly and Senate from the mid-1970s through 1990. Born in Camp Blanding, Florida in 1945 and currently residing in Walnut Grove, Garamendi holds degrees from UC Berkeley and Harvard University.
