US Government Shutdown Begins as Trump, Congress Fail to Reach Budget Deal

The United States government officially entered a shutdown early Wednesday after President Donald Trump and lawmakers failed to reach a budget agreement, with Democrats insisting on health care funding as a key demand.

The impasse triggered the suspension of operations in multiple federal departments and agencies, affecting hundreds of thousands of government employees and millions of Americans who rely on their services.

In an Oval Office briefing, Trump blamed Democrats and warned of consequences. “So we’d be laying off a lot of people that are going to be very affected. And they’re Democrats, they’re going to be Democrats,” he said. He added that “a lot of good can come down from shutdowns,” suggesting it could be used to scrap “Democrat things.”

Government operations began winding down at 12:01 a.m. (0401 GMT), after the Senate failed to pass a short-term funding resolution already approved by the House of Representatives.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer reacted by posting a midnight countdown video of the Capitol, writing: “The Republican shutdown has just begun because Republicans wouldn’t protect America’s health care. We are going to keep fighting for the American people.”

While essential services such as the Postal Service, the military, Social Security, and food stamps will continue, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that up to 750,000 federal workers could be furloughed daily without pay until the shutdown ends.

This marks the first government shutdown since the record-breaking 35-day closure nearly seven years ago, also during Trump’s presidency.

Hopes for a compromise had dimmed after a White House meeting on Monday ended without progress. The standoff reflects Democrats’ push to restore billions in health care funding, particularly for low-income households through the Affordable Care Act, which Trump has moved to dismantle.

Republicans, holding narrow control of both chambers, had offered to extend current funding until late November while negotiations continued. But Democrats rejected the stop-gap bill, leaving Congress gridlocked.

House Speaker Mike Johnson blamed Schumer for prolonging the crisis, warning on X that “Moms and kids now lose WIC nutrition. Veterans lose health care and suicide prevention programs. FEMA has shortfalls during hurricane season. Soldiers and TSA agents go UNPAID.”

Former Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, called it “their shutdown,” noting that Republicans control both Congress and the White House.

The U.S. has experienced 21 shutdowns since 1976, but the duration of the latest remains uncertain.

Opinion Nigeria News