The US federal government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, had lasted 35 days by November 5, becoming the longest in the country’s history. The standoff was caused by disagreements between Democrats and Republicans in Congress over a new budget.
According to estimates based on Treasury reports and analysis by the Bipartisan Policy Center, at least 670,000 federal employees have been placed on unpaid leave, while about 730,000 others continue working without pay because their duties are deemed essential.
A number of agencies have been hit especially hard, including the Environmental Protection Agency and the Departments of Education, Labor, and Commerce. Among the most alarming effects, the article points to staffing cuts at the National Nuclear Security Administration: about 1,400 employees were furloughed, leaving only around 400 on duty.
Problems are also deepening in transport. Because of a shortage of air traffic controllers, more than 3.2 million airline passengers have already been affected. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned on November 3 and 4 that if safety conditions worsen, parts of US airspace may have to be closed as early as next week.
The shutdown has also affected social programs. Payments under SNAP, assistance through LIHEAP, and funding for the Head Start early education program have all come under pressure. Reuters also reported a slowdown in FBI investigations, while The Telegraph wrote that some US-Ukrainian talks on further support for Ukraine’s armed forces had been put on hold.
The Congressional Budget Office warned that the shutdown would reduce US real GDP growth in the fourth quarter of 2025 by 1-2 percentage points. Estimates say that 33 billion dollars in spending had already been delayed in October alone.