The US government shutdown: What is it, why is it happening, and what can be expected?

The US government shutdown, which has grounded thousands of flights, cut food assistance to millions of Americans and put salaries on hold for most federal workers, was not always a feature of the US political landscape. It has become a symbol of political infighting at the expense of society’s most vulnerable.

With the Senate voting late Sunday to end the shutdown, which included seven Democrats and one Independent (none of whom face an election in 2026), with the backing of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the government is likely to reopen in the coming days if the Republican-majority House follows their lead. However, concerns remain over what it will mean for millions of Americans who rely on government benefits.

What is the history of the US government shutdown?

The US government shutdown, which began at midnight on 1 October, became the longest in the country’s history on 5 November. The next-longest shutdown also occurred under US President Donald Trump, lasting 35 days from the end of 2018 to the beginning of 2019. Before Trump, the majority of government shutdowns had lasted between one and five days, with notable exceptions being under former presidents Barack Obama (16 days) and Bill Clinton (21 days).

For the last 45 years, federal budget disputes have been solved behind the scenes. Then, in 1980, Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti issued a legal opinion saying the 1884 Antideficiency Act (a post-Civil War measure meant to curb excess military spending) required government agencies to shut down during a funding gap.

Though the reasoning at the time was to show transparency and to avoid excessive government spending, the result has largely been partisan arguments over services to ordinary Americans.

Who is most affected by the shutdown?

As with most crises, it's those with the least who are affected the most. People on food stamps (or SNAP—Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme) have lost their federal assistance during the shutdown. Though some cities and municipalities have been able to step in and provide food assistance, many rural communities have not. Moreover, Trump has made it clear that he does not want food assistance to resume during the shutdown. On Monday, he asked the Supreme Court to continue blocking SNAP funding.

If the shutdown ends on Trump's terms, millions of Americans are likely to see their monthly healthcare premiums spike – in some cases, by 2 to 3 times their current rates (many Americans already pay $1,000 per month for insurance).

Most federal workers are affected by the shutdown, including at least 1.4 million who are not being paid. These include park rangers, Social Security (pension) administrators and air traffic controllers.

A pay stoppage among air traffic controllers and other aviation personnel has led to the cancellation of thousands of flights nationwide. Many travellers have been left stranded at airports ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, the busiest travel time of the year.

Which federal workers are still getting paid?

The spotlight on those not getting paid has led to the question of who is getting paid.

Members of Congress, the president and other elected officials and government appointees are continuing to get paid during the shutdown. A growing number of Congress members (mostly Republicans) whose salaries are funded through a permanent appropriation have opted not to be paid during the shutdown. In practice, Congress members are not actually giving up their pay; they either delay receiving their salaries until the shutdown concludes or donate them to charity.

More controversially, employees of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and border control agents are still getting paid during the shutdown. Funding for their salaries is coming from the Big, Beautiful Bill, signed into law by Trump in July, which allocated $170 billion for immigration enforcement.

Who is to blame for the shutdown?

Trump and others in the Republican Party have blamed the shutdown on Democrats allegedly offering healthcare benefits to illegal immigrants. Many Democrats, however, are pointing to Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill, which gave tax breaks to billionaires.

What happens next?

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has already called members of Congress back to Washington to vote on a deal to reopen the government. Though it is expected to pass in the House, it could face strong dissent, given the unpopularity of a rise in health insurance premiums (the measure does not offer an alternative to current healthcare subsidies).

One of the most outspoken Republican Congress members advocating against Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has spent the past several weeks on social media and the news, saying she doesn’t want to see a rise in healthcare premiums.

On 15 November, multiple US cities will hold “People over Billionaire” demonstrations focused on economic inequality.