By Eniola Amadu
The United States government has shut down large parts of its operations after lawmakers in Congress failed to agree on a funding deal.
The closure, the 15th since 1981, came after negotiations between the White House and Congress collapsed, leaving agencies without legal authority to spend money.
The shutdown is expected to furlough about 750,000 federal workers, suspend pay for U.S. troops, slow air travel, and delay scientific research.
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The stoppage will also prevent the release of September’s widely watched jobs report. Officials estimated the daily cost at roughly $400 million.
President Donald Trump, who has made shrinking the size of government a central pledge, suggested the disruption could advance his plan to reduce the federal workforce by 300,000 by the end of the year.
“A shutdown clears the way for us to continue restructuring government,” Trump said.
Vice President JD Vance raised concerns about aviation safety, warning that essential personnel such as air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration staff would be working without pay.
He noted that the record 35-day shutdown in 2018–2019 ended in part when flight delays mounted after controllers began calling in sick.
“If you’re flying today, you may not arrive on time because TSA and controllers are not getting paid,” Vance said on Fox News.
The immediate impasse stems from a dispute in the Senate. Democrats blocked a Republican-backed stopgap measure that would have kept the government funded through November 21, citing the absence of provisions to extend health benefits for millions of Americans due to expire at year’s end.
Republicans argued that health care should be dealt with in separate legislation.
Both parties are seeking to assign blame ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, which will decide control of Congress.
Senate Republican Leader John Thune scheduled another round of votes in an attempt to pressure Democrats to break ranks.
Financial markets showed signs of unease.
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Wall Street opened lower on Wednesday, gold prices reached record highs, Asian stocks slipped, and the dollar weakened against major currencies.
Analysts said delays in economic data and the prospect of prolonged job losses added to investor uncertainty.
