Trump breaks record for government shutdowns
US President Donald Trump has now overseen the longest total period of government shutdowns in US history, surpassing the previous record set by former President Jimmy Carter.
Across his two terms, Trump has presided over 57 days of federal funding gaps, including 36 days during his first administration, per Axios.
Carter previously held the record with 56 days spread over five shutdowns, while former President Bill Clinton ranks third with 26 days across two shutdowns. The federal government counts shutdown days as beginning after the final day budget authority is available and ending the day before new funding is enacted.
The current government shutdown began on October 1 after Congress failed to reach an agreement by the September 30 deadline. Key points of contention included Congressional Democrats’ insistence on extending expiring tax credits under the Affordable Care Act and reversing Trump-era Medicaid cuts.
During past shutdowns, the Trump administration has leveraged funding gaps to advance policy priorities, including reducing agency budgets and terminating federal employees. In 2019, Trump threatened to keep the government unfunded for “years” to secure funding for a border wall, but ultimately supported a short-term spending bill without obtaining the wall funding he sought.
By Khagan Isayev