why is the government shutdown

The US government shutdown began on October 1, 2025, because Congress failed to pass appropriations legislation to fund the federal government for the new fiscal year. The main reason for the shutdown is a political deadlock between President Donald Trump's Republican Party and the Democrats: Republicans hold the majority in both chambers but lack the 60 votes needed in the Senate to pass a spending bill. Democrats oppose the Republican funding proposals, chiefly due to cuts and changes affecting healthcare, including tax credits that help make health insurance affordable and Medicaid cuts. This has resulted in neither side reaching an agreement by the deadline, causing the government to close temporarily. Notably, this is the 21st shutdown in modern US history and the third under President Trump. While essential government services such as Medicare, Medicaid, air traffic control, and border security continue operating, many federal employees (around 900,000 furloughed and 700,000 working without pay) face furloughs or unpaid work. The shutdown will also impact agencies like the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among others. The Trump administration seems prepared to use the shutdown to identify and possibly permanently dismiss "non-essential" federal workers, further testing budget reduction limits set by the current administration. This shutdown stems from deep partisan disagreement over federal spending levels, foreign aid rescissions, and healthcare subsidies, making it harder to find a compromise and causing significant uncertainty for government operations and employees nationwide.