The 2025 federal shutdown is tied for the record for the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history as it went into its 35th day on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Over the last five decades, every president except George W. Bush and Joe Biden has weathered at least a few-day shutdown. During their tenures, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama all experienced shutdowns lasting more than two weeks.
The longest shutdown took place during Trump’s first term and lasted 35 days from December 2018 to January 2019.
This shutdown will become the longest ever if it continues into Wednesday, Nov. 5. Here’s a look at the ongoing shutdown and the nation’s history of shutdowns.
When did the 2025 government shutdown start?
The 2025 federal government shutdown began on Oct. 1.
When will the 2025 government shutdown end?
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters on Monday he’s “optimistic” that the government shutdown could come to an end this week.
“The objective here is to try and get something that we could send back to the House that would open up the government,” he said.
Lawmakers could try to pass legislation known as a continuing resolution, which would reopen the government’s doors until a specific date. The House’s temporary funding bill, which the Senate has repeatedly rejected, would extend funding through Nov. 21.
“As you look at the calendar, if you want to do normal appropriations work, you look at how long it takes to get bills across the floor in the Senate and through the House, the longer sort of runway there is better,” Thune told reporters, according to CBS News. “But I’m certainly listening to our colleagues and trying to figure out kind of where the landing spot would be.”
Still, when speaking on the Senate floor on Monday, Thune said he was going to put forth the House-passed continuing resolution to have senators vote on it again on Tuesday.
While no major agreement is expected Tuesday, the outcome of the Nov. 4 shutdown vote in Congress will prove to be a meaningful gauge of just how far apart Republicans and Democrats remain, especially amid widespread questions about whether the more than 40 million Americans reliant on food assistance could go hungry this month.
Longest ever shutdown?: The government shutdown is about to be the longest ever. Follow live updates
Are SNAP, WIC benefits paused?
The cutoff of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, in November due to the ongoing government shutdown has caused many concerns. The lack of SNAP funds affects millions countrywide, but now the administration has been forced to dip into reserves to cover at least some of the benefits haulted.
The Trump administration stated Monday, Nov. 3, that it would “fulfill its obligation to expend” funds during an emergency, using a reserve to cover “50% of eligible households’ current allotments.”
When was the last government shutdown? Is this the longest government shutdown in history?
The shutdown will become the longest ever on Wednesday, Nov. 5, if it goes into day 36.
The 2025 government shutdown threatens to beat the previous record for the longest government shutdown. The last and longest shutdown was in 2018-2019 during Trump’s first term, spanning 35 days. The shutdown was caused by disputes over expanding barriers on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Prior to that, there was a 21-day shutdown in 1995-1996 during Bill Clinton’s presidency over major spending cuts and a 16-day shutdown in 2013 during Barack Obama’s administration over implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
The other seven government shutdowns since 1980 lasted anywhere from a few hours to five days.
What causes a government shutdown?
Federal government agencies and programs rely on annual funding appropriations passed by Congress. A government shutdown occurs when non-essential discretionary federal programs close due to a lack of funding following Congress’s failure to agree on a budget or temporary funding measures.
Why did the government shut down in 2025?
USA TODAY reported that a main sticking point in the 2025 shutdown negotiations revolves around Medicaid funding, as many Democrats have pushed to reverse recent cuts to the program enacted as part of Trump’s major tax and spending law.
Obamacare subsidies set to expire at the end of the year are also a main talking point. If Congress doesn’t intervene, millions could see their health care premiums rise.
How many government shutdowns have there been?
Over the last five decades, and as of Oct. 1, there have been 22 federal shutdowns. Here’s when they happened and how long they lasted.
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1976: Under Gerald Ford. Lasted for 11 days.
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1977: Under Jimmy Carter. Lasted 12 days.
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1977: Under Carter. Lasted eight days.
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1977: Under Carter. Lasted eight days.
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1978: Under Carter. Lasted 17 days.
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1979: Under Carter. Lasted 11 days.
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1981: Under Ronald Reagan. Lasted two days.
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1982: Under Reagan. Lasted one day.
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1982: Under Reagan. Lasted three days.
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1983: Under Reagan. Lasted three days.
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1984: Under Reagan. Lasted two days.
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1984: Under Reagan. Lasted one day.
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1986: Under Reagan. Lasted one day.
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1987: Under Reagan. Lasted one day.
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1990: Under George H.W. Bush. Lasted four days.
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1995: Under Bill Clinton. Lasted five days.
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1996: Under Clinton. Lasted 21 days.
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2013: Under Barack Obama. Lasted 17 days.
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2018: Under Trump. Lasted several hours.
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2019: Under Trump. Lasted 35 days and cost the economy about $3 billion, equal to 0.02% of GDP, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
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2025: Under Trump. Started on Oct. 1, 2025, and is ongoing.
Rebecca Morin, USA TODAY NETWORK, contributed to this report.
Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: When will the 2025 government shutdown end? When was longest shutdown?
