America has hit the brakes again. For the first time in nearly seven years, the US government has officially shut down.
Lawmakers in Congress failed to cut a last-minute funding deal.
The fallout? Hundreds of thousands of federal workers could be sent home without pay.
Museums and parks may shutter, and air travel could grind slower if staff stop showing up.
So, what went wrong? Despite frantic late-night talks, the Senate couldn’t muster the 60 votes needed to pass a funding bill.
Republicans tried pushing a short-term plan, Democrats countered with their own — and both collapsed.
At the heart of the standoff? Healthcare subsidies.
Shutdown Standoff
Democrats insist they must be extended; Republicans argue they’re costly or want stricter rules attached.
President Trump has doubled down, threatening mass layoffs and cuts to programs he says Democrats value.
“The last thing we want to do is shut it down,” he said, before adding that shutdowns can be useful to “get rid of things we didn’t want.”
Democrats, meanwhile, accuse Republicans of “bullying” and refusing to negotiate in good faith.
With 40% of federal workers expected to be sidelined.
Analysts warn this shutdown could rival the record-breaking 36-day closure of 2018. The question now: who blinks first?
