Trump Signs Legislation to End Longest Government Shutdown in US History

President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed legislation officially ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history — a 43-day impasse that crippled federal operations and left hundreds of thousands of government workers without pay as both parties traded blame.

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted mostly along party lines to approve a Senate-passed bill reopening key federal departments and agencies. Many Democrats voiced disappointment, describing the outcome as a retreat by their party leadership.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump criticized Democrats as he signed the measure, calling on Americans to remember the episode during next year’s midterm elections.

“Today we send a clear message that we will never give in to extortion,” Trump said, surrounded by Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who earlier accused Democrats of inflicting unnecessary suffering for political gain.

The newly signed package funds military construction, veterans’ affairs, the Department of Agriculture, and Congress through next fall, while extending funding for the rest of the government until the end of January. About 670,000 furloughed federal employees will return to work, and another 670,000 who worked without pay — including tens of thousands of air traffic controllers and airport security staff — will receive their owed wages.

The agreement also reinstates federal employees dismissed during the shutdown, with air travel expected to gradually normalize nationwide.

Trump claimed Democrats’ actions cost the country $1.5 trillion, though economists dispute that figure. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the economic loss at around $14 billion.

House Speaker Johnson and Republican leaders faced tight margins with their slim majority, while Democratic leaders, frustrated by what they saw as a Senate concession, urged members to oppose the bill — a stance most maintained.

Although public polls suggested Americans largely supported Democrats during the standoff, analysts say Republicans may have emerged in a stronger position following the resolution. For weeks, Democrats had refused to reopen the government without an agreement to extend pandemic-era tax credits that made health insurance more affordable.

The deadlock broke after a small group of moderate senators negotiated a compromise with Republicans, allowing a Senate vote on health care subsidies but with no guaranteed follow-up in the House.

The development has exposed divisions within the Democratic Party, as leaders face backlash for ending the shutdown without major policy wins. Party strategists, however, argue the standoff drew national attention to health care — an issue they hope will energize voters ahead of the 2026 elections.

“We’ve elevated the conversation about the Republican health care crisis, and we’re not stepping back,” said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a television interview.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer faces criticism from progressives for failing to keep the party united. Prominent Democratic figures, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, have publicly condemned the deal, calling it weak and disappointing.