why did american government shut down

The American government shut down on October 1, 2025, because Congress failed to pass appropriations legislation for the 2026 fiscal year before the new fiscal year began. The shutdown resulted from partisan disagreements mainly over federal spending levels, rescissions of foreign aid, and health insurance subsidies. Republican and Democratic lawmakers could not reach an agreement on a continuing resolution to fund the government, with Democrats opposing Republican proposals that would cut Medicaid and reduce healthcare subsidies that affect millions of Americans. This standoff left about 900,000 federal employees furloughed and another 700,000 working without pay, while essential services continued with limited operations. This shutdown is the eleventh in U.S. history, the third under President Donald Trump's current administration, and the first since the long shutdown of 2018-2019. The disagreements also extend into broader issues such as budget cuts to health agencies like the CDC and NIH. Despite preliminary negotiations, no deal was reached, leading to a suspension of many government functions across scientific, environmental, and public health agencies, among others. The Trump administration's approach includes plans for significant workforce reductions in the federal government amid the funding impasse.