The U.S. federal government shutdown began at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, following the failure of Congress to agree on a funding bill to keep the government operational. This shutdown is due to a deadlock between President Donald Trump's Republican Party and Congressional Democrats over spending priorities, especially concerning healthcare funding and Medicaid cuts. Both parties rejected each other's proposed funding measures just before the midnight deadline, leading to the first government shutdown since 2019.
This shutdown marks the 21st funding gap since the current budget process started in 1976. It involves furloughing hundreds of thousands of federal workers, with essential services affected except for some critical sectors like servicemembers and federal law enforcement who will remain on duty but unpaid. The shutdown came despite attempts by President Trump to negotiate with congressional leaders the previous week.
In summary, the government shutdown started early on October 1, 2025, with no agreement in place to reopen the government as of that date.
