In the United States, a government shutdown, officially known as a lapse in appropriations, occurs when funding legislation required to finance the federal government is not enacted before the next fiscal year begins. During a shutdown, the federal government curtails agency activities and services, ceases non-essential operations, furloughs non-essential workers, and retains only essential employees in departments that protect human life or property. Shutdowns can also disrupt state, territorial, and local levels of government.
Funding gaps have led to shutdowns since 1980, when Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti issued a legal opinion requiring it. This opinion was not consistently adhered to throughout the 1980s, but since 1990, all funding gaps lasting longer than a few hours have resulted in shutdowns. As of November 2025, 11 funding gaps have led to federal employees being furloughed.
The most significant historical shutdowns include the shutdown under Donald Trump's second presidency, which began on October 1, 2025, and lasted for 43 days;
the 35-day shutdown of 2018–2019 during the first presidency of Donald Trump, over expanding barriers on the U.S.–Mexico border;
the 21-day shutdown of 1995–1996 during the Bill Clinton administration, over opposition to major spending cuts;
and the 16-day shutdown in 2013 during the Barack Obama administration, over implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The other seven shutdowns lasted five or fewer days.
Shutdowns disrupt many government services and programs. They close national parks and other public institutions (such as Washington, D.C.'s federally managed museums), reduce government revenue, and reduce economic growth by disrupting major services. During the 2013 shutdown, financial-rating institution Standard & Poor's said that the shutdown had "to date taken $24 billion out of the economy" and "shaved at least 0.6 percent off annualized fourth-quarter 2013 GDP growth".
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