WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump called a shutdown looming at midnight tonight “probably likely” because of an impasse with congressional Democrats over health care costs.

Trump and fellow Republican leaders in Congress seek an extension of current spending to keep the government funded through Nov. 21. The temporary funding patch is aimed at giving lawmakers time to negotiate a full year of funding for the year that's supposed to start Oct. 1. Trump has threatened federal layoffs and program cuts if the shutdown happens.

But Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer in the Senate and Hakeem Jeffries in the House argued after meeting Sept. 29 with Trump that failing to extend federal subsidies for Obamacare, a marketplace for health insurance, will leave many people uncovered.

The Republican-controlled Senate is expected to vote on a temporary spending bill that has failed once already, with no sign that a second vote will bring success before the deadline tonight.

If the government closes its doors, services that are deemed “essential” will continue operating despite a lapse in federal funding. For example, The U.S. Postal Service will continue delivering mail. The Social Security Administration will continue sending out retirement checks. Much of the Pentagon and the Department of Homeland Security will remain on the clock.

But “non-essential” services could be significantly reduced. The National Park Service, for example, saw a reduction in visitor services and a buildup of trash during a 35-day shutdown in December 2018 and January 2019, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

Here is what you need to know as the clock ticks down the expiration of federal funding at midnight:

Trump says ‘a lot of good’ can come from a government shutdown

Hours before the government is set to close its doors, Trump said “a lot of good” can result from a shutdown because it would allow his administration to scrap programs and other spending it doesn’t want.

“We’re doing well as a country, so the last thing we want to do is shut it down,” Trump said from the Oval Office in response to a question from a reporter. “But a lot of good can come down from shutdowns. We can get rid of a lot of things that we didn't want. They’d be Democrat things.”

Trump has warned that his administration could lay off federal workers under a shutdown – an action that hasn’t historically been taken during temporary stoppages of the federal government.

The president has showed no signs he will concede to demands of congressional Democrats, who have pushed for extending federal subsidies for Obamacare as part of a measure to fund the government.

−Joey Garrison

Does Social Security stop in a government shutdown?

The Social Security Administration is projected to pay out $1.6 trillion to 72 million beneficiaries this year, making it a vital economic lifeline for much of the country.

A shutdown won’t disrupt those payments.

Social Security is a mandatory spending program that is not subject to annual appropriations. However, staffing and some services could be impacted if they have a discretionary spending component, according to the Committee for a Responsible Budget, a nonprofit that studies federal fiscal policy.

Sen. John Kennedy: No way out of a shutdown

Sen. John Kennedy, R-Louisiana, gave a candid assessment from the Senate floor of the prospects of any shutdown off-ramps.

"Once you shut the government down, you've got to get it back open," he said. "How are they going to get it back open? We're not going to agree to their demands."

Though he characterized his colleagues across the aisle, including Schumer, as "smart people," he said pressure from the Democrats' base has blinded them to the harsh realities a shutdown will bring to Americans' lives.

How is Veterans Affairs impacted by a government shutdown?

The VA estimates that 97% of its employees continue work during a shutdown. But according to the department's contingency plan, here's what services would be impacted:

  • VA will stop providing transition program assistant and career counseling.
  • VA's GI Bill and National Cemetery Applicant Assistance hotlines will be closed.
  • VA benefits regional offices will be closed.
  • Public affairs and outreach to veterans will cease, including social media, VetResources emails and responses to press inquires.
  • No grounds maintenance or placement of permanent headstones at VA cemeteries.
  • Applications for pre-need burial at VA cemeteries won't be processed.
  • No printing of new Presidential Memorial Certificates.
  • Not outreach to state, county, tribal, municipal, faith-based and community-based partners by VA Center Office.

What does a government shutdown mean for student loans?

In the event of a government shutdown, borrowers would still be required to make payments on their outstanding student debt.

The Department of Education will continue to disburse Pell Grants and Federal Direct Student loans, according to the department’s contingency plan. As available, permanent and multi-year appropriations will also be used to continue processing Free Applications for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, the plan said.

During a lapse in funding, the department would cease any new grantmaking activities; however, grant programs typically make awards over the summer.

Borrowers with a question or dispute related to their loan may have a tougher time reaching the department, as it plans to furlough the majority of its staff.

Experts say while most borrowers won’t “feel” a short shutdown, more issues could arise the longer it takes those in Washington to make a deal.

− Rachel Barber

Unions sue Trump administration over mass firing threats

Two unions say they are suing the Trump administration for threatening mass firings of federal workers in the event of a government shutdown.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) filed a federal lawsuit in San Francisco on Tuesday. They are accusing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and its director, Russ Vought, of violating the law with their threats to fire federal workers during a shutdown.

The lawsuit also names the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and its director, Scott Kupor. The suit alleges that the OPM and Kupor issued "unlawful and unprecedented instructions" to federal workers to perform work during the federal government shutdown in order to carry out layoffs.

The unions' lawsuit alleges the administration’s threats to fire federal employees during a shutdown are "an unlawful abuse of power designed to punish workers and pressure Congress." The organizations say previous shutdowns have meant that employees are either furloughed without pay but guaranteed back pay, or deemed "excepted," where they are required to keep working until government funding is restored to pay them.

− Terry Collins

When did the House vote on a funding plan?

The House narrowly passed a GOP-backed funding bill largely on party lines by a vote of 217 to 212 on Sept. 19.

That short-term funding measure to keep federal agencies open through Nov. 21 didn't include Democrats' demands to extend insurance subsidies or undo Medicaid cuts.

However, when the Senate voted on the GOP-backed bill that same day it failed by a vote of 48-44. The spending bill needs 60 votes to pass the Senate.

House leaders sent members home and they are not scheduled to return until Oct. 3.

What does it mean to be furloughed?

A furlough is the "placing of an employee in a temporary nonduty, non-pay status because of lack of work or funds, or other non-disciplinary reasons," according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

When an agency does not have enough funds, such as in the case of a government shutdown, a “shutdown” furlough occurs and those employees not categorized as "excepted," or essential, pause their work.

Job-matching and hiring site Indeed describes a furlough as mandatory time off, typically implemented by companies as a cost-saving measure. Furloughs are temporary and the length of a furlough leave can vary, "from a reduction of hours per week to several months without work," according to Indeed's definition.

– Saman Shafiq

What is a government shutdown? Here's what it means and how it works

Each fiscal year, Congress appropriates funds for federal agencies to operate. If Congress does not agree on appropriations or a temporary spending bill (called a continuing resolution), the affected federal agencies must effectively shut down or stop normal spending, according to the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

An exception is made for certain jobs or services deemed essential, which continue to operate.

Who is Russ Vought?

Russell Vought leads the White House Office of Management and Budget. He is expected to play a major role in how the government functions during the expected shutdown, including whether there are mass layoffs of federal employees instead of furloughs.

According to reports first published by Politico, Vought instructed agencies to prepare reduction in force plans, or layoffs, for all employees whose work “is not consistent with the President’s priorities.” Democrats dismissed it as an intimidation tactic. The administration has begun rehiring some of the tens of thousands of federal employees laid off earlier this year.

Vought, who also lead the agency during Trump’s first term, is responsible for overseeing the president’s budget, reviewing federal regulations and setting funding priorities for executive agencies.

He was the key architect of the controversial policy blueprint known as Project 2025, much of which has been implemented during Trump’s second term. Vought is credited with authoring the chapter on executive power.

Does the military get paid during a government shutdown?

All active-duty U.S. military personnel stay on the job, but nearly half of the Department of War's 741,477 civilian employees could face furloughs, according to a contingency plan released by the department. Another part of the military that would remain on the job would be the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees nuclear weapons.

How many government shutdowns have there been? When was the longest government shutdown?

There have been 20 government shutdowns lasting at least one full day since 1975, with most taking place before 1995 and half being very brief.

Prior to the 1980’s government shutdowns where agencies shut down didn’t really exist if Congress didn’t approve a new spending authorization. Instead, agencies would often continue to operate with the expectation that funding would be provided in the future, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Then, in 1980 and 1981 U.S. Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti wrote a series of legal opinions that established the basis for government shutdowns, saying that agencies needed to strictly follow the Anti-deficiency Act, a longstanding law that prohibits government agencies from spending money more than the amount Congress provided them by law.

The longest shutdown since those opinions began at the end of the day on Dec. 21, 2018, and lasted 35 days.

The second longest lasted 21 days from Dec. 16, 1995, to Jan. 6, 1996.

The third longest shutdown began October 1, 2013 and lasted for a total of 16 days.

Does a government shutdown affect flights?

For the most part, no. Air passengers should still be able to continue with their flights during a partial government shutdown.

Those workers who screen at airport security checkpoints, give flight clearance, and verify at border control are deemed essential, so they are still required to work.

Instead, a shutdown puts federal funding on hold for agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, and Customs and Border Protection. As a result, actions like hiring or training are put on hold, and workers aren't paid until the issue is resolved.

– Kathleen Wong

What happens to Medicare and Medicaid during a shutdown?

The federal Medicare and Medicaid health insurance programs are also considered mandatory spending, meaning benefits won’t be impacted if the government shuts down.

Nearly 71 million people were enrolled in Medicaid for lower-income families and the disabled as of May 2025. And 69 million enrolled in Medicare for the elderly.

Trump expects shutdown over healthcare impasse

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office a shutdown is “probably likely” because of what he described as Democrats insisting on providing Medicaid health insurance for undocumented immigrants.

“We’ll probably have a shutdown,” Trump said. “Nothing is inevitable but I would say it’s probably likely.”

Republican leaders said their aim is to prevent undocumented immigrants from receiving Medicaid benefits and to require 80 hours of work or volunteer service per month to receive benefits. Republicans

About 10 million people are expected to lose coverage under the changes, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The figure includes 7.5 million losing Medicaid and 2.1 million losing coverage under Obamacare, known formally as the Affordable Care Act.

Democrats focused after meeting with Trump on Sept. 29 with Trump on extending federal subsidies for Obamacare. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said middle-class families could see premiums rise $400 per month as they begin signing up Nov. 1 for next year's coverage.

But Trump called Obamacare “bad” and said he is opposed to extending Obamacare subsidies and Democrats seemed unwilling to compromise.

Schumer: Republicans lying about our demands

Senate Democrats pushed back hard Tuesday as top Republicans allege that their health care demands would benefit undocumented immigrants.

“Not a single sentence or clause or comma in our bill does that,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, told reporters.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, was more frank.

“If it seems like the only sentence that Republicans can form these days consists of a noun, verb, and illegal immigrant, that’s because they have to resort to outright lies to defend their truly God-awful health care policies,” she said.

Trump warns of layoffs, program cuts

Trump warned Democrats that he could take “irreversible” actions such as layoffs of federal workers, rather than furloughs in a traditional shutdown, and the elimination of federal programs.

“We can do things during the shutdown that are irreversible, that are bad for them and irreversible by them, like cutting vast numbers of people and cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “They’re taking a risk by having a shutdown.”

More Americans view Trump, congressional leaders unfavorably: poll

Americans view Trump and each of the four congressional leaders more unfavorably than positively, according to a Pew Research Center poll of 3,445 U.S. adults conducted Sept. 22 to 25.

A majority of 58% of respondents viewed Trump unfavorably, compared to 40% favorable, according to the poll.

But congressional leaders fared not much better − and were less well known. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, had a 38% unfavorable rating and 25% favorable, according to the survey. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, had a 26% unfavorable rating to 16% favorable.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, had a 30% unfavorable rating and 24% favorable, according to the survey. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, had a 50% unfavorable rating and 21% favorable.

The remainder of respondents said they had never heard of the lawmaker.

Do rockets still launch during a government shutdown? How NASA could feel the effects

NASA is far from immune to the effects of a looming government shutdown if congressional leaders fail to reach an agreement before midnight Oct. 1 to prevent one.

At stake for the U.S. space agency if the federal government grinds to a halt? The progress of many of its science missions and access to its public outreach arm. NASA’s contingency plan for a shutdown, outlined in a guide from 2018, emphasizes that only "activities which are necessary to prevent harm to life or property" would be exempt from ceasing operations during a shutdown.

That means the vast majority of NASA's employees would be sent home without pay and all but its most critical operations – including management of the International Space Station – would be paused.

The potential for a shutdown also comes as the agency is already bracing for severe funding cuts and layoffs under Trump's latest budget proposal.

– Eric Lagatta

How long could a federal shutdown last?

Since 1977, there have been 21 federal government shutdowns. In total, they lasted 121 days, or an average of almost eight days per shutdown.

The longest government shutdown in the last five decades, which lasted 35 days, occurred under the first Trump administration from December 2018 to January 2019.

Two other shutdowns took place in Trump's first term: the first lasted three days in January 2018, and the second lasted a few hours in February 2018.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump says government shutdown is 'likely,' Dems fight for health care deal, live updates

Reporting by Bart Jansen, Zac Anderson, Saman Shafiq, Sarah D. Wire and Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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