House Speaker Mike Johnson holds a press conference at the U.S. Capitol during the government shutdown on Oct. 6, 2025.

Day 14 of the government shutdown is upon us, and the stalemate continues, with Congress still at an impasse over spending proposals.

Lawmakers are deadlocked over healthcare funding and tax credits for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, marketplace that expires at the end of the year for people who buy their own health insurance. Democratic lawmakers want the subsidies to be extended before enrollment begins Nov. 1.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., gave a stark warning about the possible impacts on Oct.13, criticizing Democrats.

“We're barreling toward one of the longest shutdowns in American history unless Democrats drop their partisan demands and pass a clean, no-strings-attached budget to reopen the government and pay our federal workers," Johnson said.

The longest shutdown in U.S. history lasted 35 days between December 2018 and January 2019, during President Donald Trump's first term.

Trump admin says it will fund WIC with tariff revenue for 'foreseeable future'

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, the federal initiative known as WIC that provides resources to nearly 7 million low-income women and children, will stay afloat using tariff revenue for the "foreseeable future," the U.S. Department of Agriculture told USA TODAY on Tuesday.

A day before the shutdown began, the National WIC Association warned that the program would run out of money in a matter of weeks without Congress passing a new budget. As that deadline neared last week, the White House announced that it would sustain operations via a cash infusion, later reported by the Associated Press as being around $300 million.

"We welcome efforts to keep WIC afloat during the shutdown, but families need long-term stability, not short-term uncertainty," said National WIC Association President and CEO Georgia Machell in an Oct. 7 statement. "There is no substitute for Congress doing its job. WIC needs full-year funding, not just temporary lifelines."

Are flights impacted by the government shutdown?

Transportation Security Administration officers who conduct screenings at airports, and Federal Aviation Administration air traffic controllers are considered essential employees, so they’re required to work during the shutdown, even as they don’t receive paychecks, so those roles largely continue as usual.

While delay numbers have been fairly low overall, staffing issues at some air traffic control facilities have led to issues. Last week, the FAA had to delay flights into Burbank, California, because the tower there was unstaffed for a few hours in the evening.

It’s important to note that not all delays during the shutdown are attributable to the funding lapse. Weather is still a major driver of flight delays, regardless of what’s happening in Washington.

Still, in previous shutdowns, these essential workers have eventually started to call out from work in increasing numbers, which has led to longer security lines and delays at some airports.

– Zach Wichter and Kathleen Wong

Trump says a 'wealthy donor' offered to help pay for US military salaries

Trump said he found a way to pay U.S. troops amid the ongoing federal government shutdown during his meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei at the White House on Oct. 14: A wealthy donor.

“I actually have a man who is a very wealthy person,” he said. Trump said a “donor, a great gentleman” told him that if there was any “shortfall” to pay the troops, that he’d pay it. Trump said he told the donor that " we're not going to need it."

Under the US Constitution, Congress writes the laws to pay the country's bills via money from the American taxpayer – not through wealthy individuals.

It’s been two weeks since the shutdown began, and federal employees like military members, law enforcement officers, and air traffic controllers deemed essential for public safety are required to work. They don't receive a paycheck until the shutdown is over

The statement by Trump comes three days after he wrote in a Truth Social post that he directed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to “use all available funds to get our troops PAID on October 15.”

Is mail affected by the government shutdown?

Postal services, including mail delivery, will continue even if the government shuts down.

In a Sept. 25 statement, the U.S. Postal Service confirmed that its operations will not be interrupted in a shutdown, and post offices will remain open for "business as usual."

"Because we are an independent entity that is generally funded through the sale of our products and services, and not by tax dollars, our services will not be impacted by a government shutdown," the statement said.

What does a government shutdown mean for student loans? What about FAFSA?

During a government shutdown, borrowers are still 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 ceases 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

What happens to SNAP during a government shutdown?

The USDA, which oversees SNAP and similar programs through its Food and Nutrition Service division, has a contingency plan to maintain its core services during a government shutdown, at least temporarily.

Funds for October's SNAP benefits were allocated before the month began, meaning payments are already being processed and distributed as usual. If the shutdown lasts longer, USDA could tap into multiyear contingency funds that can be used for administrative expenses and/or to pay participant benefits directly, according to the USDA plan. It is unclear how much money is currently available in that reserve.

These measures are a temporary means of keeping FNS running, however. Existing continuing resolutions, or temporary funding measures, generally only allow the USDA to disburse benefits 30 days after a shutdown begins, and funding can run out.

If the shutdown lasts beyond October, it could exhaust the USDA's contingency plan, and the administration could choose not to tap into the multiyear fund, according to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and the Food Research & Action Center.

At this point, it is unclear if benefits would be disrupted in November, if the shutdown were to last that long.

Are Social Security payments still going out during shutdown?

Yes, Social Security payments, including Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and benefits for retirement, disability and survivors, continue during a government shutdown.

Because Social Security benefit programs are considered mandatory spending by law, they are not impacted by the lapse in funding appropriations. Payments are still distributed on a regular schedule during the shutdown.

Some airports reject TSA video blaming Democrats for shutdown

Airports in Charlotte, Phoenix, Portland, and Seattle declined to air a Department of Homeland Security video blaming Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown, citing bans on political content and concerns over violating the Hatch Act.

The video, featuring Secretary Kristi Noem, warned of TSA disruptions due to Congress' inaction.

Airport officials said airing it would breach laws prohibiting political messaging on public property. Homeland Security defended the message, saying TSA employees are working unpaid but operations remain stable. The shutdown, now in its second week, has strained travel operations, with delays mounting and the U.S. travel economy losing $1 billion weekly.

– Nathan Diller

Some VA services impacted

Some of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' services have been impacted by the shutdown as thousands of its employees have been furloughed.

VA benefits like compensation, pension, education and housing are running as usual. Medical centers and clinics remain open. Support services for suicide prevention, homelessness and caregivers are also still available.

However, during the shutdown, VA benefits regional offices are closed, transition program assistance has ceased and VA cemetery grounds are not being maintained. Outreach efforts through social media and emails have also stopped.

In an Oct. 7 letter to VA Secretary Doug Collins, members of the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committees criticized the VA's response to the shutdown. The lawmakers said the agency has been misleading over claims that it can't respond to communications from members of Congress during the shutdown.

Meanwhile, in an op-ed for The Hill published on Oct. 10, Collins called the actions of Congressional Democrats "one of the biggest displays of hypocrisy in recent history."

What time is the Senate vote?

The Senate will take up the GOP's short-term funding extension for the eighth time at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. It's expected to fail again.

The chamber will not, however, vote on the Democrats' funding bill, which has never had a good shot at passing.

– Zachary Schermele

Trump cabinet members blame upcoming 'No Kings' protests for prolonging shutdown

Two of President Donald Trump’s cabinet secretaries said Democrats are keeping the government closed for the sake of "No Kings" mass protests scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18.

The comments, made on the same Fox Business show on Oct. 13, echo congressional Republicans last week who blamed the now two-week-long shutdown on Democrats, saying they wanted to keep the government closed until after the protests, hoping to show party activists they are pushing back on the Trump administration.

In criticizing the rallies, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, “'No Kings' means no paychecks. No paychecks and no government."

Read more

– Sarah D. Wire

'Batten down the hatches': White House says more layoffs will come as shutdown drags on

The White House said Monday that it plans to continue mass layoffs of federal workers as the government shutdown drags on.

The Office of Management of Budget, in a statement posted on X, said it is “making every preparation to batten down the hatches and ride out the Democrats’ intransigence.”

“Pay the troops, pay law enforcement, continue the RIFs, and wait,” the OMB, led by director Russell Vought, added in the statement.

The warning of additional RIFs, or reductions in force, comes after the Trump administration began firing federal workers amid the shutdown last Friday. In all, about 4,000 federal workers were laid off. But a senior administration official told USA TODAY this was just the first wave of terminations, with more to come.

The layoffs, which unions have challenged in court, gutted the Department of Education, which Trump earlier this year pushed to eliminate entirely by executive order. That includes the elimination of nearly everyone in the department’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services.

How is the shutdown affecting Social Security?

Thousands of employees at the Social Security Administration have been furloughed, in turn limiting the agency's available services during the shutdown.

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income payments are still going out during the shutdown, as they are considered mandatory spending by law and therefore not dependent on congressional approval.

While Social Security offices are also still open during the shutdown, some of the agency's services are not available, including replacing a Medicare card, issuing a proof of income letter and updating or correcting earnings records.

SSA was expected to announce the cost-of-living-adjustment for 2026 on Oct. 15, but it has been postponed to Oct. 24 due to a delay in the release of the Bureau of Labor Statistics' September inflation report.

Senate to vote again, mass firings continue

The Senate is set to return on Tuesday to vote for an eighth time on reopening the government. The plan is expected to fail again as the impasse continues.

Mass firings of federal government workers have been underway across multiple departments, with some of the largest cuts coming to the Treasury Department, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Education Department.

According to a Justice Department court filing, the targets include 1,446 employees and approximately 1,200 employees at the HHS.

At least 4,000 civil-service workers were notified Oct. 10 they were being laid off, rather than simply furloughed as in past shutdowns, and the administration warned that more are coming.

Meanwhile, President Trump vowed to continue paying members of the military.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Government shutdown live updates; White House says more federal layoffs to come

Reporting by Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, Melina Khan, Joey Garrison, Zachary Schermele and Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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