Federal government shutdown begins, furloughing 750,000 workers

The federal government shut down on October 1, 2025, after Congress failed to pass a continuing resolution, furloughing approximately 750,000 federal workers. The Senate deadlocked over a dispute about extending Affordable Care Act subsidies embedded in the spending package. President Trump invoked impoundment authority to pressure Democrats, triggering what became a 43-day shutdown — the longest in U.S. history.