Viral posts claim Donald Trump compared govt shutdowns to ‘president's lack of leadership’. Here's the truth

Viral posts claim Donald Trump compared govt shutdowns to ‘president's lack of leadership’. Here's the truth

As Trump railed against his political opponents, netizens harked back to the businessman-turned-politician's words from more than a decade ago, much to the ire of supporters of the Republican Party, who accused liberals of making things things up.

Trump once said, 'A government shutdown falls on president's lack of leadership' and spoke about 'weak' presidents?

An alleged 2013 quote from the then-businessman and reality TV host made the rounds online during the October 2025 U.S. government shutdown.