what happened to the us government

The US federal government shut down on October 1, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EDT due to congressional failure to pass appropriations legislation for the 2026 fiscal year. The shutdown resulted from partisan disagreements over federal spending levels, foreign aid rescissions, and health insurance subsidies. This is the eleventh government shutdown in modern U.S. history and the third under President Donald Trump's administrations. The shutdown has furloughed roughly 900,000 federal employees, with another 700,000 working without pay. Essential services such as Medicare, Medicaid, the Transportation Security Administration, and Amtrak continued operating, but many agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention faced partial or full suspensions of operations. The Trump administration has taken aggressive measures during the shutdown by freezing billions in funding for states led by Democrats and preparing for significant federal workforce layoffs. These actions include canceling or suspending billions in funding for climate initiatives and infrastructure projects in Democratic-led areas. The administration is utilizing the shutdown to push its budget agenda and reduce federal programs and personnel it opposes, which has escalated tensions in Congress and with Democratic leaders. Negotiations between Republicans and Democrats in the Senate failed repeatedly, with disputes over Medicaid cuts and healthcare subsidies being major sticking points. The shutdown's economic and operational impacts are anticipated to be significant, with federal employees furloughed without pay and various public services disrupted until an agreement is reached. In summary, the US government shutdown in October 2025 is a major political and funding crisis stemming from partisan deadlock in Congress and aggressive executive actions by President Trump’s administration to reshape federal spending and policies amid a fiscal impasse.