The government has been completely shut down since the beginning of this month. Government shutdowns occur when legislation, required to finance the federal government, is not enacted before the next fiscal year. Since Democrats and Republicans were not able to agree on a bill to fund the government for October, some government services are temporarily suspended. However, border protection, law enforcement, ICE agents, hospital care, and air-traffic control workers are set to operate as usual. It is estimated that 40% of the federal workforce, about 750,000 people, are expected to be on unpaid leave.
The last government shutdown was back in 2019 over disagreements over Trump’s proposal to build a wall between the United States and México. This government shutdown was the longest one in US history, lasting 34 days. Experts are unsure of how long the current shutdown will last; however, the length of the shutdown will be a large determinant of the economic damage that will follow.
The shutdown has caused controversy, especially among democrats and republicans. Many government officials have blamed both parties for the shutdown, resulting in mixed views on the issue. “I think we’re headed into a shutdown because the Democrats won’t do the right thing,” Vice President JD Vance said.
However, the Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress, while Democrats have some power in the Senate. Views on the government shutdown still remain split, though; a Washington Post poll concluded that 47% of adults in the US blame Trump and Republicans, 30% blame Democrats, and 23% remain unsure.
Many also view the shutdown as an opportunity for the government to let go of federal workers. “We’ll be laying off a lot of people,” Trump said the day before the shutdown. However, the huge loss of workers can be detrimental to the federal government’s function and the country’s overall economy. The government shutdown is ongoing as of October 7, 2025.
