Late on the night of November 12, US President Donald Trump signed a bill that will keep the government running through January 2026, ending a 43‑day government shutdown—the longest ever.
The legislation also provides 2026 fiscal funding for key agencies and marks the restoration of critical food‑aid services.
The funding package was approved after a House vote of 222 to 209, with six Democrats aligning with the Republicans to pass the bill, ending the impasse.
Government shutdowns are a recurring theme in American history. Since the first shutdown in 1976, there have been 22 federal shutdowns including the most recent, with political disagreements repeatedly bringing the federal government to a standstill.In this gallery, we explore past government shutdowns, what caused them, and how they affected Americans.
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