US plunges into government shutdown as Trump and Congress fail to reach funding deal

The US has entered a government shutdown after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to agree on funding before Wednesday’s deadline, plunging federal programmes and services into uncertainty.

About 750,000 federal workers face furloughs, with some potentially being permanently dismissed as Trump threatens irreversible measures. While deportation efforts are expected to continue, education, environmental, and other services may falter, and the economic impact could be felt nationwide.

Trump, who met with congressional leaders earlier in the week, expressed reluctance for a shutdown but could not secure a deal. This marks his third federal funding lapse, highlighting deep partisan divides over budget priorities and a political climate that favours hardline stances over compromise.

Democrats, unusually confrontational, are pushing for funding of expiring health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, while Republicans have largely refused negotiations and encouraged Trump to avoid talks. Trump later mocked Democratic leadership in a widely criticised video.

Without a clear solution, the shutdown threatens to disrupt benefits, contracts, and government services, creating widespread economic and social uncertainty. Rachel Snyderman, a former White House budget official, called shutdowns costly, generating fear and confusion nationwide.