The US Shutdown Has Become The Longest In History

• 5.11.2025, 10:58

Breaking the record set during Trump's first term.

Wednesday's forced shutdown of the US federal government (shutdown) over an uncoordinated supplemental budget became the longest in history, breaking the 35-day record set during Donald Trump's first term.

This was reported by AFP.

Federal agencies have ground to a halt after Congress failed to approve funding beyond Sept. 30, and problems are worsening as social programs - including aid that helps millions of Americans buy groceries - hang in limbo.

In recent days, the first fragile signs of progress have emerged in Congress to break the impasse, though - for now - 1.4 million federal employees, from air traffic controllers to park rangers, remain on forced furlough or working without pay.

A few hours before the shutdown record was broken at midnight, the Trump administration sounded the alarm about chaos at airports across the country if the crisis drags into a sixth week and deepening staffing shortages lead to airport closures and shuttered stretches of airspace.

Airport workers have been a major factor in pushing Trump to end the shutdown in 2019.

But both Democrats and Republicans remain steadfast about a major stumbling block in the current shutdown - health care costs.

Democrats say they will provide votes to end the shutdown only after an agreement is reached to extend expiring insurance subsidies that make health care affordable for millions of Americans.

But Republicans insist they will take up the health care issue only after Democrats vote to "turn the lights back on" in Washington.

Notably, a bill to fund government operations failed for the 13th time in the Senate last week.

The supplemental funding bill around which the controversy continues only provides for spending to keep the government running through Nov. 21.