Rep. Brian Mast, a U.S. Congressman representing Florida’s 21st district since 2017, used his social media account on March 13, 2026, to criticize Democratic lawmakers over the ongoing government shutdown and highlight local recovery efforts for farmers.
In a post published at 13:17 UTC, Mast wrote: “This is unfathomable. Democrats have forced TSA agents to ask for donations to keep food on the table and gas in the tank. Democrats need to reopen @DHSgov now and stop playing games with people’s lives.”
Later that day, at 16:38 UTC, Mast reported from a community meeting focused on agricultural recovery following recent weather events: “We’re at our Farmers Freeze Recovery meeting to talk through recovery resources and available federal assistance for farmers impacted by last month’s freeze.”
By the evening, Mast reiterated his concerns about the impact of the shutdown on key federal agencies responsible for homeland security. At 20:11 UTC he posted: “Democrats claim they’re fighting to defund ICE—but ICE and CBP are already funded. The agencies actually getting hurt by the shutdown? TSA. Coast Guard. FEMA. Democrats are playing political games that put homeland security at risk.”
Mast has served as a member of Congress since replacing Patrick Murphy in 2017 and previously held office in the Florida House of Representatives. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1980, he currently resides in Fort Pierce and holds a BA from Harvard University Extension School (2016).
