Trump Signs Bill to End Longest Government Shutdown in U.S. History

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Donald Trump signed a crucial bill on Wednesday officially ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history — a grueling 43-day stalemate that crippled federal operations, delayed paychecks for hundreds of thousands of workers, and deepened partisan tensions in Washington.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump framed the deal as a victory for Republican resilience, declaring that the United States would “never give in to extortion.” His remarks drew applause from Republican lawmakers gathered around him, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who praised the president’s leadership during the crisis.

“Today we are sending a clear message that we will never give in to extortion,” Trump said before signing the bill. “We stood firm, we protected American taxpayers, and we are putting an end to a shutdown that never should have happened.”

Trump Faces a Divided Washington After Shutdown Deal

The measure — approved earlier by the Senate and passed by the Republican-led House of Representatives — will reopen federal departments and agencies shuttered during the six-week standoff. The shutdown, which began amid disputes over budget priorities and border security funding, left Washington gridlocked and federal workers in financial limbo.

The bill funds several key government branches, including military construction, veterans’ affairs, agriculture, and Congress itself, through the next fiscal year. Other departments are set to be funded through the end of January.

While Trump hailed the agreement as a step toward stability, many Democrats have expressed frustration, accusing their party leadership of conceding too much to the White House and Republican negotiators. The tension underscores a deep partisan divide that has defined much of Trump’s presidency.

During his Oval Office remarks, Trump sharply criticized Democratic lawmakers, accusing them of deliberately prolonging the crisis for political gain. He urged Americans to remember “who caused the chaos” when they head to the polls during the upcoming U.S. midterm elections.

“They knew it would cause pain, and they did it anyway,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, echoing Trump’s sentiment in a fiery speech on the House floor earlier in the day. “The whole exercise was pointless. It was wrong, and it was cruel.”

Republicans have argued that Democrats used the shutdown as a bargaining chip, while Democrats maintain that the impasse was fueled by Trump’s uncompromising stance on spending priorities and federal policy reforms.

The passage of the funding bill brings much-needed relief to approximately 670,000 furloughed federal employees, who will now return to work after more than six weeks of uncertainty. Another 600,000 essential workers — including air traffic controllers, airport security staff, and federal law enforcement officers — who were required to work without pay during the shutdown will also receive back pay.

The new agreement also reinstates federal employees who were dismissed during the shutdown by Trump’s administration, ensuring that essential operations across transportation, defense, and agriculture can resume normal function.

Air travel, which had faced widespread disruptions due to staffing shortages and operational slowdowns, is expected to return to normal in the coming days.

Despite Trump’s claims that Democrats caused an estimated $1.5 trillion in economic damage, independent analyses suggest otherwise. According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the total economic cost of the shutdown is closer to $14 billion in lost growth — a substantial but far smaller figure than the president’s estimate.

Economists warn that the effects of the shutdown may linger, particularly for small contractors and communities dependent on federal spending. “Every day of lost productivity in government reverberates through the economy,” said one CBO analyst. “Even temporary disruptions can have long-term consequences for public trust and financial stability.”

Still, Trump has portrayed the deal as a strategic win, emphasizing that his administration secured key spending priorities and avoided deeper concessions to the opposition.

With the government now reopened, Trump faces the challenge of restoring confidence among both federal workers and the American public. The 43-day shutdown not only tested his leadership but also reshaped political alliances in Congress.

Democrats, while claiming partial victory in reopening the government, are preparing to leverage the shutdown fallout in the next election cycle. Meanwhile, Republicans are rallying behind Trump, highlighting his steadfastness and refusal to “bow to political extortion.”

As the president looks ahead to the 2026 midterms and beyond, Trump’s handling of the shutdown is likely to remain a defining chapter in his political legacy — a moment that tested his resolve, strained his relationships with Congress, and underscored the deep partisan divide that continues to shape American governance.

Source- EWN