Key Takeaways
- Kamala Harris directly blamed Republicans for the October 2025 government shutdown, citing their refusal to address rising healthcare costs.
- Hundreds of thousands of federal workers are furloughed without pay as nonessential agencies close.
- Leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Gavin Newsom criticized the GOP’s role, highlighting a pattern of shutdowns tied to healthcare disputes.
The U.S. government has officially shut down for the first time since Dec. 2018, with lawmakers deadlocked over a spending bill that would keep agencies funded. The shutdown began at 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday (Oct. 1), after Republicans and Democrats couldn’t reach a deal on healthcare subsidies tied to the Affordable Care Act.
At the center of the fight: Democrats want to extend Obamacare tax credits ahead of open enrollment on Nov. 1, while Republicans insist the debate can wait. “Our position has been very clear: cancel the cuts, lower the costs, save healthcare,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said over the weekend.
Nonessential federal agencies have been put on pause, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal workers facing furloughs without pay. While essential services like border security, in-hospital care and air traffic control will continue, Americans will likely feel the effects soon through delayed travel, closed museums and stalled federal benefits, according to reports.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris took to X to directly blame President Donald Trump and Republicans. “President Trump and Congressional Republicans just shut down the government because they refused to stop your health care costs from rising. Let me be clear: Republicans are in charge of the White House, House and Senate. This is their shutdown,” she wrote.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi echoed that sentiment: “The government shuts down tonight — but House Republicans are on vacation. Democrats are in Washington, ready to keep government open and lower health care costs. If Republicans force a shutdown, it’s on them.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom pointed to history, writing, “The last government shutdown was when Donald Trump was President. It cost the American people $11 BILLION. Almost like there’s a pattern here.”
Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett added, “The government is officially shut down. Make no mistake: Republicans control the House, the Senate and the White House. This is THEIR shutdown. They had every tool to govern and chose chaos instead. The American people are the ones paying the price.”
Donald Trump’s history with shutdowns
This is the first shutdown since Trump’s return to office for a second term. The last one to occur was the longest shutdown in U.S. history, stretching 35 days from late 2018 into early 2019. That fight centered on border wall funding. This time, the battle is over healthcare, but the result is the same: government workers and everyday Americans getting caught in the crossfire while political leaders struggle to cooperate.