This marks the first shutdown since the record 35-day closure six years ago. The move is expected to affect hundreds of thousands of federal employees, forcing many departments and agencies to cease operations.
Despite intense last-minute negotiations, Democrats and Republicans in Congress could not break the deadlock. On the evening of September 30, the Senate rejected both Republican and Democratic proposals to extend government funding. The Republican plan sought to maintain current spending levels until November 21, while the Democratic proposal included an extension of Obamacare subsidies and blocked President Trump from rescinding previously approved funds.
The final Senate vote was 55-45, short of the 60 votes required to advance the stopgap bill. As a result, the shutdown officially began at midnight.
Democratic leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, argued that cutting federal support for Obamacare would leave millions uninsured and drive up healthcare costs. They also dismissed Trump’s claims that undocumented immigrants could benefit from federal programs, pointing out that existing law prohibits such access.
The shutdown will disrupt a wide range of activities, including scientific research, small business support, and monthly unemployment reports. However, essential services such as postal delivery, Social Security, the Pentagon, and the Department of Homeland Security will continue, though many employees may work without pay until funding is restored.
President Trump insisted that “a lot of good” could come from the shutdown, saying it provides an opportunity to eliminate unwanted programs and spending. He also warned of potential mass layoffs of federal employees during the shutdown—an unprecedented move in U.S. history.
Two major unions, the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, have filed lawsuits in San Francisco, accusing the Office of Management and Budget and Director Russ Vought of violating the law by threatening layoffs during the shutdown.
The last government shutdown occurred in 2018–2019, lasting 35 days during Trump’s first term amid a dispute over immigration policy. According to the Congressional Budget Office, that closure cost the U.S. economy $3 billion, or 0.02% of GDP.