Government shutdown becomes longest in US history
The US federal government has entered its 36th day of a shutdown, officially marking the longest government closure in the nation’s history.
The shutdown began on 1 October, after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on a new funding bill. With no resolution in sight, hundreds of thousands of government employees remain without pay, while millions of Americans continue to face disruptions to essential services.
Despite weeks of political stalemate between Democrats and Republicans, there are small hints of possible progress. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the highest-ranking Republican in the chamber, suggested that a breakthrough could be near.
“I just think, based on my gut of how these things operate, we’re getting close to an off-ramp here,” Thune said.
The previous record for the longest shutdown was set in 2019, during former President Donald Trump’s administration, lasting 35 days.
As the shutdown drags on, the consequences for ordinary Americans have deepened. Thousands of federal workers have already missed paycheques, leaving many struggling to meet basic needs.
Concerns are also rising over worsening travel disruptions. Air traffic controllers and airport staff—who are classified as essential workers—have been forced to continue working without pay, a situation that experts warn is unsustainable.
Speaking with Fox News on Tuesday, US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cautioned that the aviation system may soon reach a breaking point.
“If you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos,” Duffy warned. “You will see mass flight delays, mass cancellations, and we may have to close certain parts of the airspace because we just cannot manage it without paid controllers.”
Roughly 13,000 air traffic controllers, all federal employees, are currently working without wages due to the prolonged shutdown.
