As the partial government shutdown continues, several lawmakers have been photographed on holiday. Among them is also Sen. Rick Scott. The lawmaker, who is well aware that TMZ has invited its audience to take and submit photos of lawmakers vacationing during the almost two-month shutdown, trolled the publication in his latest social media post.
Rick Scott happily shared a photo of his own visit to Disney World with his family, while thousands of federal workers, including Transportation Security Administration (TSA) staff, have gone almost two months without pay, and long queues are experienced at most major airports.
Scott, 73, shared posts on his Instagram as well as X accounts over the weekend, addressing TMZ directly, writing, “Hey TMZ. Yes, I’m at Disney with my grandkids. Should we be in DC? Yes! But I don’t get to make that decision.”
With the post, he shared a photo of himself, his wife, Ann, and one of their grandchildren.
Hey TMZ. Yes, I’m at Disney with my grandkids. Should we be in DC? Yes! But I don’t get to make that decision. pic.twitter.com/zUb7xOrFcd
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) April 4, 2026
Meanwhile, since funding for the Department of Homeland Security lapsed in mid-February, lawmakers have been struggling to reach an agreement to pay government staffers left with no pay. House Republicans did send a short-term funding bill to the Senate on March 27, after rejecting a measure to fund most of the department, apart from immigration agencies.
However, lawmakers have taken a two-week recess without having finalized a deal to fund the DHS. Meanwhile, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has deemed the House bill “dead on arrival” in the Senate. This could lead to the partial shutdown extending through April 2026, with pay and other problems continuing.
In the meantime, TMZ has responded to Scott’s challenge, writing that his message is “sort of like saying, not my job, man.” The senator was also criticized for not doing enough before the two-week break.
“True, the leadership told members to skedaddle out of D.C., but what about the last 2 months, when NO ONE would bend, no one would compromise, and the victims were the people who hadn’t gotten a paycheck in 6 weeks?” TMZ wrote, referring to Scott’s message. “He didn’t say it, but the fact that the Senate finally came up with a bill they could agree on as time ran out and they ditched D.C. before the House even voted, well, if he thinks that’s doing the job, we disagree.”
Netizens were quick to call out Scott in the comments section of his X post. “Aren’t you the majority that runs this government? The republicans? And that’s you, sir. You own this. Every second of it is your fault. Your fault and every republican. So you go enjoy Disney. You are so gross,” read one of the comments.
Another one added, schooling him, “You’re missing the point. Look how happy you are while many of the people you represent struggle to pay for gas just to get to work! And your response is the same response for EVERYTHING! ‘Not my fault.’ It’s never your fault.” Another remark on the post read, “Hey Rick, glad you are enjoying Disney with your grandkids while other people’s kids are dying overseas.”
Meanwhile, TMZ notes that Scott wrote an op-ed around four years ago, complaining that Disney World had gone too “woke” and that he wouldn’t be “going back or watching Disney+ anytime soon.”
The controversy comes just days after another Republican lawmaker, Sen. Lindsey Graham, defended photos of his own Disney World visit after TMZ shared photos, drawing widespread criticism.
In that case, Graham was pictured holding a bubble wand while walking around or queuing for rides at the park, and enjoying breakfast at the resort. He defended his actions to TMZ, saying he voted to “fully fund the government” several times and telling them, “call a Democrat.”
