The US government shutdown has been going on for three weeks now. There are no signs that it will end anytime soon. President Donald Trump’s administration has warned that it may take tougher measures to end the deadlock with Democrats. Kevin Hassett, the White House’s top economic advisor, said that the shutdown is “likely to end sometime this week.” He also warned that things could get worse if both parties don’t work together.
The shutdown started on October 1, 2025, when Congress couldn’t agree on the federal budget priorities. This meant that about 1.4 million federal workers were either furloughed or working without pay. Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been stuck in a stalemate for a long time. They can’t agree on how much to spend, how much to give in health insurance subsidies, or how to cancel foreign aid. The Senate can’t pass a funding bill because of party-line opposition.
President Trump’s administration has cut back on federal agencies. It plans to fire about 4,000 probationary federal employees during the shutdown. However, a federal judge has temporarily stopped the layoffs because they may be illegal. The ongoing shutdown is affecting a number of government services. These include the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, important services like Medicare and the TSA are still running.
Senate Republicans say they have made a compromise by accepting the current level of spending. However, Democrats say the government can’t reopen until they make big changes to their policies. The White House is telling Democrats to “see reason” and work out a deal. This shows that the fight over federal funding is getting more heated.
