The United States government shutdown has entered its sixth week, officially becoming the longest in the nation’s history — surpassing the 35-day record set during Donald Trump’s first term. As federal operations grind to a halt, the political standoff between the White House and Democrats shows no sign of easing.
President Trump accused “kamikaze Democrats” of being willing to “take down the country” as negotiations over healthcare spending remain deadlocked. “I talked about the kamikaze pilots. I think these guys are kamikaze,” Trump said during a breakfast meeting with Republican senators at the White House. “They’ll take down the country if they have to.”
Since funding lapsed on Sept 30, around 1.4 million federal employees — including air traffic controllers and park rangers — have been forced into unpaid work or furlough. Essential services are under strain, while welfare programmes such as SNAP food aid hang in limbo, threatening millions of vulnerable Americans.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the shutdown could soon cause widespread airport chaos if staffing shortages worsen. “You’ll see mass flight delays, cancellations, and possibly the closure of parts of US airspace,” he said.
The crisis comes just weeks before the busy Thanksgiving travel period, with a record 5.8 million Americans expected to fly. Many airport workers are reportedly calling in sick, echoing the disruptions that forced Trump to end the 2019 shutdown.
The impasse centres on healthcare spending. Democrats insist they will not approve new funding without extending key health insurance subsidies, while Republicans argue that talks should resume only after government funding is restored.
Despite growing pressure from moderates in both parties to strike a deal, President Trump has remained defiant, telling CBS News he would “not be extorted.”
Meanwhile, the White House faced backlash for threatening to suspend grocery aid to 42 million Americans — a move blocked by courts. Officials later said the administration was working to ensure partial payments were issued “as quickly as possible.”
With no breakthrough in sight, millions of Americans are left to brace for deepening disruption — as political defiance takes precedence over relief.
