U.S. Government Faces Second Shutdown in Three Months
The United States government has entered its second shutdown in just three months, marking another disruption under President Donald Trump’s administration. The shutdown is reportedly due to delays in passing the proposed federal funding bill.
According to media reports, the government faced complications as the funding package did not pass on time. In the U.S., any federal bill must be approved by both chambers of Congress—the Senate and the House of Representatives—before being sent to the President for signature. Only after the President signs the bill does it become law.
The deadline to send the funding bill to the President’s office was midnight local time on Saturday. However, the bill was only recently passed in the Senate and has not yet reached the House of Representatives.
Separately, tensions have escalated following the death of U.S. citizen Alex Pretty in a law enforcement operation in Minnesota targeting illegal immigration. Since taking office on January 20, 2025, President Trump has issued several executive orders aimed at curbing illegal immigration, prompting nationwide operations led by the Department of Homeland Security.
In December, Trump signed an executive order to significantly increase the Department of Homeland Security’s budget, a move strongly opposed by the Democratic Party. While the Republican Party holds a Senate majority, the House of Representatives has a Democratic majority, complicating the passage of the funding bill. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer responded that unless the budget increase for Homeland Security is withdrawn, the passage of the bill in the House remains uncertain.
Political analysts remain hopeful that both parties can reach an agreement this week, allowing the funding bill to pass and ending the shutdown soon.
A government shutdown occurs when federal funding is delayed due to political disagreements, affecting federal, public, and semi-autonomous agencies. In U.S. history, there have been 18 shutdowns to date.
