Washington, D.C.: The US government shutdown entered its 37th day on Thursday, setting a record as the longest in the nation’s history and leaving millions of Americans facing mounting disruption.
Federal programs, including food assistance, remain stalled, while federal workers continue to work without pay. Airports nationwide are struggling with staffing shortages, causing delays and raising concerns about air travel safety as Thanksgiving approaches.
More than 60,000 air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers are on the job without pay, and officials warn that abseanteeism could worsen check-in lines and flight operations.
President Donald Trump, whose first term saw the previous shutdown record, met with Republican senators on Wednesday morning but has refused to negotiate with Democrats until they agree to reopen the government. Trump has described Democratic demands to protect expiring health insurance subsidies as extortion.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy cautioned that if the shutdown continues, air travel could face chaos next week, particularly during the Thanksgiving holiday, when an estimated 5.8 million people are expected to fly domestically.
The core dispute remains healthcare funding. Democrats insist they will only vote to reopen the government after a deal is reached to make health insurance more affordable, while Republicans demand that Democrats restore government funding first. Some moderate Democrats are pushing for compromise, and a bipartisan group of centrist House members recently proposed a framework to lower insurance costs.
Trump has used the shutdown to pressure Democrats, threatening mass layoffs and attempting to cut off a federal food assistance program that supports 42 million Americans, though courts have blocked the action. The White House later clarified that it is complying with legal requirements and working to release partial SNAP payments as quickly as possible.
