The United States is once again facing the real possibility of a government shutdown as lawmakers remain deeply divided over how to fund the federal government past September 30, when the current budget expires. With no agreement in sight, agencies, workers, and the public are bracing for disruptions that could begin next week.
At the center of the conflict are disagreements between Republicans and Democrats over the terms of a temporary funding bill. House Republicans, along with one Democrat, managed to pass a short-term measure to extend government funding until November 20. But when the bill reached the Senate, Democrats rejected it, objecting to provisions they considered unacceptable. That has left negotiations at a standstill, with both sides digging in.
The process, which is meant to be routine, has become more fraught in recent years. Each fiscal year begins on October 1, and federal agencies require Congress to approve their funding. Once passed, the bill goes to the president for a signature. This time, however, the fight has become more complicated because of partisan disputes over healthcare spending. Democrats want to restore Medicaid funding and maintain subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, while Republicans have backed Trump’s push for the cuts he made earlier in the summer through his “One, Big Beautiful Bill.”
In the Senate, Republicans don’t have enough votes to pass a long-term solution on their own. They hold 53 seats, but many major bills need 60 votes to advance, forcing them to seek Democratic cooperation. That cooperation isn’t coming. Trump himself has added fuel to the fire by refusing to meet with Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, calling their proposals “unserious and ridiculous.” He wrote online that any meeting with them would be a waste of time, and told reporters that if a shutdown happens, it will be the Democrats’ fault.
Meanwhile, the stakes are rising. The White House has reportedly issued a memo to agencies instructing them to prepare for a “reduction in force” plan—essentially laying the groundwork for furloughs and layoffs if the government runs out of funding. Employees whose programs are not backed by other sources of money or not considered priorities may be temporarily out of work. Even those who continue working could be required to do so without pay until a deal is struck.
If a shutdown happens, the effects would be felt across the country. National parks, monuments, and museums could close their doors. Many government services would be suspended. Essential programs funded through mandatory spending, such as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, would keep operating, but delays in other areas could pile up. Contractors, government-funded research projects, and everyday operations of federal agencies would be disrupted.
For Democrats, the threat of layoffs is being portrayed as a scare tactic by the White House. Chuck Schumer accused Trump of using federal workers as political pawns, saying the administration has a history of firing or threatening employees not as a way to govern, but to intimidate. He insisted the looming shutdown has more to do with Trump’s unwillingness to compromise than with actual budget disagreements.
As both parties remain at a deadlock, time is running out. Unless lawmakers strike a deal, the federal government will partially shut down at the start of October, leaving workers uncertain, agencies frozen, and millions of Americans affected until a resolution is reached.
