US govt shutdown ends but showdowns loom for Trump

News analysis

- Bhagyashree Garekar US Bureau Chief

The longest shutdown of the United States government has ended, but a new season of political drama is just beginning.

Lawmakers from President Donald Trump’s Republican Party on Nov 12 prevailed in a 43-day standoff with the Democrats, ending the unprecedented shutdown of the federal government.

The House of Representatives passed a government funding Bill with a 222-209 vote, providing for the federal government until Jan 30, 2026. The Bill also reverses the layoffs that were ordered by the Trump administration during the shutdown and allows for the missed salaries to be paid back.

The Democrats had opposed the plan - setting off the shutdown on Oct 1 - because it did not contain an extension of tax subsidies for 24 million Americans under the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare. Six of them defied their party to vote with the Republicans.

The House vote came two days after eight Democrats in the Senate broke ranks to vote to pass the same funding Bill, after saying no to 14 previous attempts made by the Republicans.

In return for their backing, the Democrats in the Senate secured a pledge that there would be a vote on the healthcare subsidies by mid-December. The Republicans contend that renewing the subsidies, which are due to expire at the year end, opens the door for illegal immigrants to receive government benefits.

As he signed the Bill, taking the final step to reopen the government, Mr Trump blamed the Democrats for trying to “extort” the country.

“The extremists in the other party insisted on creating the longest government shutdown in American history, and they did it purely for political reasons,” he said.

“I just want to tell the American people, you should not forget this when we come up to midterms,” he said in a reference to congressional elections in 2026.

Many polls, however, show that Americans mostly blame his party for the shutdown.