The US government shutdown entered its second month on Friday, deepening hardship across the nation as federal workers go unpaid, food assistance runs dry, and millions of Americans struggle to cope with mounting uncertainty.
What began on October 1 as a political standoff in Washington has spiralled into a nationwide crisis — federal offices are shuttered, public services are collapsing, and the economy is feeling the strain while President Donald Trump’s administration remains paralysed.
Republicans have warned that the impact will hit millions of Americans harder this weekend, as the shutdown disrupts essential programmes like healthcare subsidies and food aid.
“Most people haven’t noticed until this week,” said Republican House Whip Tom Emmer on Fox News. “Thanks to Donald Trump finding a way to pay our troops last month, that pain was delayed. But starting this week, it’s becoming very real.”
At the centre of the deadlock lies funding for health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), which benefit over 20 million Americans. Without congressional action, those subsidies will expire by year’s end, driving insurance premiums sharply higher.
The stalemate persists, with Democrats refusing to reopen the government without a deal on healthcare, while Republicans insist no talks will happen until operations resume.
Meanwhile, everyday Americans are paying the price. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps 42 million low-income families buy food, is expected to run out of funds this weekend. Democrats have urged the White House to release $5 billion in emergency cash to sustain the programme, but administration officials say they lack the authority to do so.
House Speaker Mike Johnson warned that the crisis is approaching a “breaking point,” saying, “You’re going to have real people, real families — children — who will go hungry beginning this weekend.”
Other vital programmes are also on the brink. The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutrition scheme and “Head Start” early childhood programmes serving 65,000 families could begin shutting down within days.
The government says it can still cover one more payday for active-duty troops, but they may go unpaid by mid-November. Roughly 670,000 federal employees remain furloughed, while another 730,000 — from park rangers to air traffic controllers — are working without pay, many missing their first full paychecks this week.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) union has urged Congress to pass an emergency bill to restart paychecks, but partisanship has stalled progress.
Still, there are faint signs of movement in Congress. A small group of centrist lawmakers from both parties has begun exploring potential compromises — most tied to revisiting healthcare funding after the government reopens.
President Trump, whose influence continues to loom large over the Republican Party, called Thursday for the Senate to remove its 60-vote threshold to pass bills, a move that would eliminate Democrats’ leverage.
According to a new ABC/Washington Post poll, 45% of Americans blame Trump and Republicans for the shutdown, compared to 33% who blame Democrats — with independents siding against the GOP by a two-to-one margin.
