The US government has shut down for the first time since 2019 after Congress failed to pass a funding bill. With Trump’s influence driving GOP resistance, hundreds of thousands of federal employees face furloughs as services stall.
Washington, D.C. | October 1, 2025 — For the first time in six years, the US federal government has officially shut down after a bitter funding deadlock in Congress. Lawmakers failed to pass a stopgap bill before midnight, triggering furloughs, service disruptions, and deep political uncertainty in the capital.
At the center of the standoff is former President Donald Trump, whose influence on Republican lawmakers has hardened opposition to Democratic proposals. Democrats, led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, refused to support a short-term funding extension without concessions, accusing Republicans of endangering healthcare protections.
The shutdown’s impact is immediate:
- Hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed or working without pay.
- Key services disrupted, including immigration hearings, small business loans, and housing programs.
- Essential operations such as defense, border security, and air traffic control remain open, but under strain.
This is the first shutdown since 2019, but analysts warn the stakes are higher now. With markets jittery and geopolitical rivals watching closely, America’s political paralysis risks damaging both its economy and its global credibility.
As Republicans pledge to keep reintroducing their funding bill “day after day,” no clear path has emerged to break the impasse. Senators left the Capitol in disarray, uncertain how long the shutdown could last — or how much damage it could inflict.
