Government Shutdown Begins Amidst Political Deadlock and Layoff Threats
The U.S. government shut down after Congress failed to agree on funding, furloughing 750,000 federal employees and sparking a bitter partisan standoff over spending priorities and healthcare.
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Overview
- The U.S. government initiated its first shutdown since 2019 on October 1st, failing to pass a federal funding deal for the 2026 fiscal year by the September 30th deadline.
- Approximately 750,000 federal employees face furloughs or working without pay, costing $400 million daily, though essential services like air traffic control continue operations.
- A bitter partisan deadlock over spending priorities caused the shutdown, with Democrats seeking healthcare and social program funding, while Republicans advocate for cuts.
- President Trump threatened mass layoffs and permanent firings of federal employees, potentially exploiting the shutdown for irreversible cuts to Democratic programs, prompting union lawsuits.
- Both parties blame each other for the crisis, with polls showing mixed public opinion and leaders indicating slim chances of a swift agreement to end the government closure.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover the government shutdown by focusing on factual reporting of the event, its immediate impacts, and the stated positions of the involved political parties. They present information neutrally, attributing strong language and blame to specific political figures rather than adopting it editorially, and include diverse perspectives on the situation.
"The IRS will not immediately be impacted by the partial government shutdown that began on Wednesday, Oct. 1."
USA TODAY"The federal government will remain shut down until Congress can agree on federal funding allocations."
USA TODAY"Instead, brace for finger-pointing, silly memes, and yet another bipartisan decision to borrow and spend money that we don't have."
Reason"As the government shut down at midnight, bipartisan recriminations continued."
ABC News"The U.S. is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by today’s deadline."
Chicago Tribune"The federal government shut down at midnight on Oct. 1 as President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats blamed each other for failing to reach an agreement in a bitter standoff over funding the government."
USA TODAY"The last government shutdown, which lasted 35 days and was the longest in U.S. history, occurred from December 2018 to January 2019."
NPR"The U.S. is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programs and services running by Wednesday’s deadline."
ABC News"For Democrats, the shutdown fight marks a line in the sand born from months of frustration with their inability to stop Trump’s norm-busting leadership."
Associated Press"Both sides are refusing to budge from their positions, and Republicans especially have little incentive to do so."
The Dispatch"The US federal government went into shutdown for the first time since 2019, after President Donald Trump and his Republicans refused to cave to congressional Democrats’ demands over health care costs."
Semafor"It remains the longest in U.S. history."
USA TODAY"Democrats may pat themselves on the back for bringing the government to a halt, but in the end, they just handed Trump a win."
USA TODAY"The impasse affects the funding of government operations through October and beyond and is poised to cause widespread disruption for Americans in areas ranging from air travel to zoo visits."
BBC News"The path forward is unclear as both sides have blamed the other for the shutdown."
BBC News"The ramifications are certain to spread beyond the political arena, upending the lives of Americans who rely on the government for benefit payments, work contracts and the various services being thrown into turmoil."
Chicago Sun-Times"The ramifications are certain to spread beyond the political arena, upending the lives of Americans who rely on the government for benefit payments, work contracts and the various services being thrown into turmoil."
Associated Press"The bitter fighting and the lack of any further bipartisan talks foreshadowed the shutdown."
NBC News"The last government shutdown, from December 2018 to January 2019, lasted 35 days and was the longest in U.S. history."
NPR"The Radical Left are going to shut down the government and inflict massive pain on the American people."
Military Times"The relatively small number of defections came hours before the federal government was slated to plunge into a shutdown and underscored the general unity within the Democratic party to stand up to the Trump administration in a fraught political moment."
USA TODAY"The long-term effects could be biting, as scientific research projects stall and federal courts put some of their operations on hold."
USA TODAY"The memo informs federal employees that if Congressional Democrats maintain their current posture and refuse to pass a clean Continuing Resolution, federal appropriated funding will lapse."
NBC News"The failure of Congress to keep the government open means that hundreds of thousands of federal workers could be furloughed or laid off."
Chicago Tribune"The Trump administration is using official government communications to blame Democrats and promote the president’s policies."
Associated Press"The mood among some federal workers on Tuesday was a shrug, having been through this before, even though many are facing life without a paycheck."
Deadline"The impending government shutdown is injecting new uncertainty into an already chaotic Washington."
Semafor"The Trump administration shows no plans of easing up on its mass deportation goals, even as other agencies temporarily cease operations."
Reason"The ironic twist: Trump could face a public backlash over rising insurance premiums if he doesn’t give Democrats the ACA extension they seek."
NBC News"Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who leads Democrats in the upper chamber, sided with Republicans in March to keep the government open, in large part due to fears of further cuts to the civil service from Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency."
USA TODAY"The highly partisan language from the Trump administration also differs from that used by other administrations during previous shutdowns."
NPR"Americans had a gloomy view of much of government, with more negative than positive takes on President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle."
USA TODAY"A shutdown will mean even less oversight of loan servicers, end any help for borrowers when things go wrong and exacerbate an already broken and understaffed system."
USA TODAY"Funding for the federal government will expire at 12:01 a.m. ET Wednesday, prompting the shutdown unless Congress passes legislation before or shortly after."
NBC News"If that opportunity comes in the form of one of the rare government shutdowns that's actually meaningful, so be it."
Reason"Congressional leaders continued to point fingers at one another as time ticked closer to a 12:01 a.m. Wednesday deadline for the government to shut down if Congress can't pass a measure to fund it."
ABC News"The likely shutdown is the result of weeks of disagreements between Republicans and Democrats in Washington over funding the government."
CBS News"Federal workers have already experienced massive upheaval due to cuts from President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency earlier this year."
Chicago Sun-Times"Ultimately, no matter how the politics plays out, there are never winners in a government funding lapse; there are only losers and survivors."
The Bulwark"Trump warned Democrats that he could take “irreversible” actions such as layoffs of federal workers, rather than furloughs in a traditional shutdown, and the elimination of federal programs."
USA TODAY"The federal government will likely shut down Oct. 1 after President Donald Trump and congressional leaders failed to reach a funding compromise on Sept. 30."
USA TODAY"Many credit unions have already begun proactive outreach to members, indicating a supportive response to potential financial distress caused by the shutdown."
Military Times"If the government shuts down, many departments and agencies will be without adequate funding, leading to wide-scale layoffs and disruptions to federal work."
Gizmodo"The federal government is nearing a partial shutdown, with a range of effects on public services and the broader U.S. economy."
Associated Press"However, pay for military and civilian workers will be delayed until a funding deal is reached, forcing them to continue their duties without pay."
NBC News"While the government plays a big part in the economy, history shows that the lasting effects of shutdowns are limited."
NBC News"The personal insults at this late stage suggest the two sides are nowhere close to an agreement to keep the government's lights on past Tuesday's deadline."
NBC News"The federal government will shut down tonight."
Reason"If the government shuts down Wednesday, it would be the 21st."
ABC News"Neither side shows any signs of budging, with the House not even expected to have votes this week."
ABC News"A shutdown would delay the release of key economic indicators — including the monthly employment report scheduled to be released Friday — and at least temporarily furlough hundreds of thousands of federal workers while other government employees would be forced to work without pay to continue essential services."
Bloomberg"But for the first time, Democrats are poised to oppose funding the government."
ABC News"The impact of a shutdown could be more significant this time around, however, since the wobbly economy may strain under the weight of a potentially prolonged interruption."
ABC News"A prolonged federal government shutdown of more than one week puts WIC families at risk."
NPR"The standoff over spending could have major consequences for federal workers and people who rely on government services, particularly as the White House threatens to permanently fire some federal workers deemed non-essential in a shutdown."
NPR"The Republicans rejected Democratic input on the continuing resolution because that's what Trump ordered them to do."
USA TODAY"A partisan standoff over heath care and spending is threatening to trigger the first U.S. government shutdown in almost seven years, with Democrats and Republicans in Congress unable to find agreement even as thousands of federal workers stand to be furloughed or permanently laid off."
ABC News"The prospect of a government shutdown looms large, with neither party showing signs of compromise, leading to potential financial stress for many families."
Associated Press"A partisan standoff over heath care and spending is threatening to trigger the first U.S. government shutdown in almost seven years, with Democrats and Republicans in Congress unable to find agreement even as thousands of federal workers stand to be furloughed or permanently laid off."
Associated Press"A partial closure will dramatically reduce staffing at many federal agencies, while workers deemed "essential" in areas like military and law enforcement will remain on the job."
USA TODAY"The threat of a government shutdown looms over Washington this week, as President Donald Trump was set to meet with key congressional leaders at the White House on Monday, Sept. 29, less than 48 hours before a shutdown could be triggered."
USA TODAY"Social Security benefits, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and benefits for retirement, disability and survivors, continue uninterrupted through government shutdowns."
USA TODAY"A stalemate persists just one day from the deadline, a shutdown seems nearly inevitable barring an unexpected breakthrough."
ABC News"Social Security payments would continue to go out as usual during a shutdown, with recipients of Supplemental Security Income — a program for low-income and disabled people — scheduled to receive their next checks on Oct. 1."
CBS News"At this point, prospects for some kind of government shutdown appear high."
BBC News"Congress and its leadership will have less than 48 hours before a deadline to avoid a government shutdown, which will start at 12:01 a.m. Oct. 1 if there isn't a last-minute breakthrough."
USA TODAY"It's not yet clear how the Supreme Court will respond to the legal battle the administration is setting up, whether Congress really will shut down the federal government, and how exactly a shutdown under second-term Trump will look."
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FAQ
Essential federal programs and services that continue during the government shutdown include Social Security, Medicare, veterans benefits, military operations, law enforcement, immigration enforcement, customs and border protection, and air traffic control. These are funded by mandatory or advance appropriations or deemed necessary for safety under the Antideficiency Act.
Approximately 750,000 federal workers are either furloughed or required to work without pay. The shutdown costs roughly $400 million per day and has prompted unions to file lawsuits to challenge the conditions.
The shutdown is caused by a budget stalemate primarily over healthcare subsidies, with Democrats demanding funding for expiring Affordable Care Act provisions, while Republicans prefer separate debates. This led to both parties blocking continuing resolutions, resulting in the shutdown.
The shutdown causes widespread economic uncertainty and is expected to disrupt essential services, potentially close government offices permanently, and affect the monthly jobs report. Programs related to nutrition assistance, housing, Social Security, Medicaid benefits, and veterans claims may be affected, impacting many people's daily lives.
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