Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Oct 1: The United States government officially shut down after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on a crucial funding bill, halting funding for federal departments and suspending several government services. The Senate saw Democrats block Republicans’ efforts to pass the spending measure on Tuesday, deepening the political impasse.

A high-profile meeting on Monday between Democratic leaders and President Donald Trump ended without a deal. Shortly afterward, Trump posted an AI-generated video on Truth Social mocking House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Continuing to place blame on Democrats, Trump claimed he “didn’t see them bend even a little bit” and warned of significant federal layoffs during the shutdown. “When you shut it down, you have to do layoffs, we’d be laying off a lot of people,” he said.

The deadlock centers around Democrats’ demand to restore healthcare funding cuts from the earlier “Big Beautiful Bill,” which Republicans refuse to reverse. Republicans proposed a temporary funding extension through November 21 but lack the 60 votes needed in the Senate despite controlling both chambers of Congress.

This marks the first US government shutdown in seven years and echoes the record 35-day closure during Trump’s first term—the longest in American history.

Critical services such as border security, law enforcement, and air traffic control will continue operating, but programs like food assistance, government-funded preschool, food inspections, and national park operations face disruptions. Prolonged shutdown risks also threaten air travel, as many essential workers might refuse unpaid duties.

The standoff underscores deep partisan divisions, leaving millions of Americans facing uncertainty as the government remains partially frozen.