U.S. Government Shuts Down After Lawmakers Fail to Reach Spending Deal

Staff Reporter | iSkyNews.com (ISC News)

Published October 1st, 2025

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U.S. Government Shuts Down After Lawmakers Fail to Reach Spending Deal

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. government has officially shut down after Congress failed to pass a spending bill before the midnight deadline, leaving thousands of federal employees uncertain about when they’ll get their next paycheck.

The shutdown began at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, after Republicans and Democrats in the Senate rejected rival short-term funding proposals. With no agreement in place, funding for much of the federal government has now expired.

This marks the first government shutdown since 2018, and while it’s not the first in history, this one could be more disruptive than usual. President Donald Trump has indicated he may use the funding lapse to reduce the size of the federal workforce, potentially cutting jobs during the shutdown.

“We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them, like cutting vast numbers of people out, cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like,” Trump said Tuesday, adding that “a lot of good” can come from government shutdowns.

Essential services — including law enforcement, the military, and air traffic control — will continue to operate, but those workers will go without pay until the government reopens. Programs such as Social Security and food assistancewill continue for now.

Other services, however, will pause. That includes the release of key economic data, federal loan approvals for small businesses, and a range of public programs that depend on government funding.

While most federal workers furloughed in previous shutdowns eventually received back pay, Trump’s comments have created uncertainty about what this one will mean for government employees — and for the millions of Americans who rely on public services.

This shutdown underscores the deep political divide in Washington, as both parties continue to blame each other for the gridlock.

Stay with iSkyNews.com for continuing updates as this story develops.

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