Thirty-Five Days Without a Budget—the Longest Shutdown in U.S. History

For 35 days, hundreds of thousands of federal employees have gone unpaid as funding remains suspended, raising concerns over access to food assistance. Trump, despite the crisis, has continued to advance his political agenda. During his first term, the government shut down twice—once for two days and once for 34. Despite repeated attempts by Congress to end the blockade, there is still no sign of a resolution.

The past month marked a kind of “record” for Trump: he has now surpassed Jimmy Carter in the total number of days the country has operated without an approved budget—56 days across five shutdowns. Ronald Reagan, however, still holds the record for the most shutdowns overall, with eight during his two presidential terms.

The federal government counts shutdown days from the first day after the previous budget expires to the day before a new funding law takes effect.

The crisis began over partisan disagreements about extending subsidies under the Obamacare program. Republicans falsely claim that Democrats want to redirect those funds to provide medical care for undocumented migrants. House Speaker Mike Johnson has repeatedly canceled votes, saying lawmakers will return to work only after the Senate approves the Republican budget proposal.

According to an NBC News poll, 52% of Americans blame Trump and congressional Republicans for the prolonged crisis, 42% blame the Democrats, and another 4% hold both sides responsible.

Each week of the shutdown costs the U.S. economy roughly $7 billion, estimates EY-Parthenon. Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought warned of plans to lay off between 4,100 and 10,000 employees across various agencies. Although the Trump administration began implementing those cuts, a federal court has temporarily blocked them.