Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., sharply criticized the U.S. Senate over the weekend, accusing the upper chamber of corruption as tensions between House Republicans and the Senate escalate amid a partial government shutdown.
In a lengthy post Sunday on the social platform X, Luna made clear that her frustration was not aimed at House leadership, but squarely at senators she believes are obstructing President Donald Trump’s agenda. While expressing respect for House Speaker leadership, Luna argued that entrenched interests in the Senate are standing in the way of meaningful action.
“The Senate is very, very corrupt,” Luna wrote. She claimed that some senators often described as allies of conservatives are unwilling to eliminate the filibuster because they do not actually want Trump’s priorities to move forward. According to Luna, this resistance reflects a deeper problem within the chamber.
“Many of these people have been in office for far too long and think they are the ones in power, not the president of the United States,” she added, signaling growing frustration among House conservatives who believe the Senate is undermining both the White House and voters who sent Republicans to Washington to enact change.
The comments come as Republicans clash over the path forward on government funding. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., recently delayed progress on a funding bill over a specific provision tied to an earlier investigation by former special counsel Jack Smith. The language in question would repeal a measure allowing senators to sue if their phone records were collected during that investigation.
That provision had been included in legislation passed to end last year’s government shutdown, but it angered House members because it applied only to senators, not to lawmakers in the lower chamber. The episode further fueled resentment in the House, where lawmakers viewed the carveout as another example of the Senate looking out for its own interests.
Despite the controversy, the Senate moved forward on Friday, passing a funding package by a wide margin. The legislation included five regular appropriations bills along with a two-week stopgap measure to fund the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS has been under intense scrutiny in recent weeks, particularly over its immigration enforcement practices. The department has faced heightened controversy following two fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. Those incidents have sparked renewed debate over DHS leadership and operations, along with growing calls for the removal of Secretary Kristi Noem.
The funding fight has left parts of the federal government shuttered, with the partial shutdown expected to continue until at least Tuesday. Efforts to quickly reopen the government remain stalled, as House Democrats have not committed to providing the votes needed to fast-track a funding package.
The standoff has deepened divisions on Capitol Hill, with House Republicans increasingly vocal about what they see as obstruction from both Senate leadership and Democrats. Luna’s blunt remarks reflect a broader sense of anger among conservatives who argue that Washington insiders are more interested in protecting their own power than delivering results.
As negotiations continue behind closed doors, the shutdown underscores the growing rift between the two chambers and the mounting pressure on lawmakers to break the impasse and restore full government operations.
