The government shutdown in 2020 was due to Congress's failure to pass funding legislation to finance the federal government. Specifically, it stemmed from disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over budget priorities, including healthcare and border security funding. For example, one notable shutdown during Donald Trump's administration was from December 2018 to January 2019, driven by a dispute over funding for a border wall, which led to the longest shutdown in U.S. history (35 days). The shutdown caused many federal workers to be furloughed and disrupted various government services until a temporary funding deal was reached.
More generally, government shutdowns occur when Congress misses the deadline to pass appropriations or continuing resolutions for the federal fiscal year starting October 1. Without approved funding, non-essential federal operations are suspended until an agreement is reached. This phenomenon has occurred several times historically due to partisan budget conflicts, often around contentious policy issues such as healthcare and spending levels.
In summary, the 2020 shutdown reflected deeper political impasses over funding and policy priorities that prevented timely budget approval, resulting in a temporary cessation of government services.
