The U.S. federal government has experienced a total of 21 government shutdowns over the past 50 years since 1976. Extended shutdowns have been relatively rare, but notable ones include:
- The longest shutdown lasted 35 days from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019, during President Donald Trump's first term, primarily over border wall funding disputes.
- Two lengthy shutdowns in the winter of 1995-1996 during President Bill Clinton's administration, lasting a total of 26 days.
- A 16-day shutdown in 2013 during President Barack Obama's administration caused by a standoff over Affordable Care Act funding.
Shutdowns have generally occurred due to Congress and the President failing to agree on budget funding bills, with recent years seeing fewer but still impactful shutdowns. Some shutdowns have been partial, affecting some agencies while others remain open due to prior funding arrangements. Shutdowns have become less frequent in recent decades but remain a possibility during budget disagreements between congressional parties and the White House.
