Trump Signs Funding Bill, Ends Longest U.S. Government Shutdown

President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a funding bill into law, bringing an end to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

The 43-day shutdown, which left over a million federal workers without pay and disrupted key government operations, had stalled over a dispute between Republicans and Democrats on healthcare subsidies. The House of Representatives approved the bill late Wednesday by a 222–209 vote, with six Democrats crossing party lines in support. The Senate had passed the measure earlier.

Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump described the moment as “a great day” for America. “The country has never been in better shape. We are opening up our country, which should never have been closed,” he said.

The funding package restores pay for federal employees and revives operations in critical agencies, including Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and Congress, through September 2026. Food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will resume for about 42 million Americans, though some programs, such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and Head Start, will take weeks to fully restart.

The shutdown’s impact was far-reaching: 670,000 employees were furloughed, 730,000 continued working without pay, and air travel faced massive disruptions, affecting over 20,000 flights nationwide. National parks and museums, including the Smithsonian Institution, are set to reopen gradually, with full recovery expected within days.

Trump framed the resolution as a victory over Democrats, accusing them of “political gamesmanship” and extortion that harmed millions of Americans. House Speaker Mike Johnson described the shutdown as “utterly pointless and foolish,” while Democrats called the deal a setback. California Governor Gavin Newsom described it as “a surrender,” with party leaders vowing to continue discussions on healthcare subsidies when Congress reconvenes in December.

The President, however, expressed frustration that attention has shifted to renewed congressional scrutiny of the Jeffrey Epstein case. On his Truth Social platform, he accused Democrats of attempting to use the issue to distract from legislative defeats.