The federal government partially shut down late Wednesday, marking the first such closure since December 2018, as Senate Democrats held firm, with only three dissenting votes.
This shutdown halted non-essential government operations, leaving tens of thousands of federal employees working without pay for a full 35 days until a temporary funding measure was finally agreed upon. Following Senate votes on Tuesday, Las Vought, the White House budget director, was immediately informed to prepare for the shutdown.
“The agency must implement an orderly shutdown plan,” Vought noted in a memo.
A bill intended to maintain government funding at existing levels until November 21, which received bipartisan support from nearly all Senate Republicans and the backing of President Trump, failed to overcome the 60 votes needed to bypass a legislative filibuster by five votes.
In that same memo, Vought expressed skepticism about the Democrats’ ability to maintain their position during the shutdown.
Turning to political dynamics, Democratic leaders in Congress have stated they will not back any GOP initiatives unless they include extended health insurance subsidies and restore billions in foreign aid and other programs previously cut by Trump. Following the failed vote, the Senate was adjourned.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) indicated lawmakers would attempt another vote on Wednesday morning. “I hope there are enough reasonable Democrats there,” he explained on Fox News. “We picked up three tonight… we’ll vote again tomorrow.” He expressed optimism that they would secure additional votes.
“I think the Democrats will start to crack once they see this isn’t working for them,” Thune added.
Meanwhile, a poll from New York Times/Siena revealed that 65% of registered voters oppose government shutdowns. Even among Democrats, 43% opposed this tactic, regardless of whether it could yield concessions from Republicans. Additionally, 59% of independent voters, along with 92% of Republicans, were against any shutdown.
During discussions with Senate leaders, Trump shared various photos on social media following the failed vote, highlighting moments with Democratic leaders in the Oval Office. Notably, hats reading “Trump 2028” were visible on his desk.
Trump and his allies accused Democrats of trying to incorporate “free medical care for undocumented immigrants” into negotiations aimed at keeping the government operational, which Democratic leaders denied. Earlier that day, Trump also spoke about the possibility of “irreversible” actions during a shutdown, including significant layoffs.
Vought had advised federal agencies to brace for potential layoffs if the shutdown were to occur.
As the clock ticked down toward midnight, the White House website displayed a countdown, proclaiming “Democrats are imminent.” They also shared a video loop of various Democrats discussing the negative fallout from past shutdowns on their social media accounts.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer predicted that as pressures mount, Trump and Republicans will face increasing demands to agree to Democratic requests to reopen government operations.
“I’m presently in Republican court,” Schumer said during a press briefing, referring to conversations with Trump. He reiterated the need for Democrats to be involved in revising any bills.
Amidst this political tension, Republicans have argued that Democrats are the ones jeopardizing essential services and safety by resisting the proposed short-term spending bill.
“Military personnel won’t receive pay. TSA agents won’t be compensated. Programs like WIC and FEMA will face delays, and with hurricanes threatening the coast, this is quite serious,” warned one Republican.
Notably, critical federal workers—ranging from members of Congress and political appointees to postal workers—will still be compensated during the closure, while essential federal benefits like Social Security, Medicare, and food assistance will remain unaffected. However, military members and non-essential federal employees will receive back pay once the government reopens.
