Senator Joni Ernst, representing Iowa, made several statements on her social media account in early October 2025, addressing issues ranging from government shutdowns to federal spending and foreign policy.
On October 9, 2025, Ernst criticized Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in a post regarding the ongoing government shutdown. She wrote, “Selfish Schumer says every day of HIS shutdown gets ‘better’ for Democrats. You know who the Schumer Shutdown gets worse for? Servicemembers at risk of missing a paycheck Understaffed rural airports in Iowa Taxpayers paying $400 million/day for bureaucrats to NOT WORK”. In this message, Ernst highlighted the potential negative impacts of the shutdown on military personnel, rural infrastructure in Iowa, and taxpayers.
The following day, Ernst commented on recent developments in the Middle East. On October 10, 2025, she posted, “A new dawn in the Middle East that could not have happened without the leadership of President Donald J. Trump!”.
Later on October 10, Ernst addressed federal spending on government mascots, writing, “Hundreds of thousands of your tax dollars should not be wasted on mascots like @HUDgov’s ‘Franklin the Fair Housing Fox’ or @USFWS’ ‘Puddles the Blue Goose.’ Let’s fur-lough these furballs forever.”.
Ernst’s comments reflect ongoing debates in Congress over government funding and fiscal responsibility. During government shutdowns, federal employees may face delayed paychecks, and certain public services can be disrupted. Past shutdowns have affected a wide range of government operations, including airport staffing and military pay. Discussions about government spending on public outreach and educational programs, such as agency mascots, are part of broader debates on federal budget priorities.
