why is government shutdown

The US government shutdown in October 2025 occurred because Congress failed to pass funding legislation to finance government operations beyond the fiscal year deadline of October 1. This deadlock is primarily due to disagreements between President Donald Trump's Republican Party and the opposition Democrats over the spending bill, particularly concerning healthcare provisions. Republicans, despite holding a majority, lacked the 60 votes needed in the Senate, while Democrats opposed the Republican bill for cutting healthcare subsidies and Medicaid funding. With no agreement reached, government funding stopped, leading to a partial suspension of federal government services and furloughs of non-essential federal workers. Essential services like border security, emergency medical care, law enforcement, and air traffic control continue to operate during the shutdown. This shutdown reflects a contentious budget standoff with the Republican administration willing to allow extensive closures as part of efforts to reduce the federal government's size.