Faisal Salisu DambattaPresident Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a bipartisan bill to end the longest government shutdown in United States history — a 43-day standoff that crippled Washington, left hundreds of thousands of federal workers unpaid, and deepened political divisions between Republicans and Democrats.
The Republican-led House of Representatives voted largely along party lines to approve a package earlier passed by the Senate, reopening shuttered federal agencies after weeks of partisan gridlock. The bill funds military construction, veterans’ affairs, the Department of Agriculture, and Congress through next fall, while extending funding for the rest of government until the end of January.
At a brief signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump took aim at Democrats, accusing them of “extortion” and urging Americans to remember the episode during next year’s midterm elections.
Johnson, who led House negotiations, blamed Democrats for the impasse, saying they had “knowingly caused pain” for political gain.
The agreement will see around 670,000 furloughed federal employees return to work, while another 670,000 essential workers — including more than 60,000 air traffic controllers and airport security personnel — will receive long-delayed back pay. Air travel, which has faced severe disruptions across the country, is expected to gradually normalize.
The measure also reinstates federal workers dismissed during the shutdown and provides for the resumption of public services halted since the funding lapse began.
While celebrating the deal, Trump falsely claimed that Democrats had cost the US economy $1.5 trillion, even as the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated actual losses at about $14 billion in economic output.
The shutdown, which began over disputes tied to the extension of pandemic-era health insurance tax credits, exposed deep fractures within both parties.
Democrats had refused to reopen the government without a firm commitment from Trump and congressional Republicans to renew the credits that made health coverage affordable for millions of Americans.
But in the end, a group of eight Senate moderates broke ranks to strike a deal with Republicans, offering only a symbolic vote on health-care subsidies — with no guarantee of follow-up action in the House.
The compromise infuriated Democratic leaders in the lower chamber, who saw the move as capitulation.
However, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is facing growing backlash from progressive Democrats for failing to maintain party unity, with some lawmakers calling for his resignation.
Prominent Democratic figures outside Congress also criticized the deal. California Governor Gavin Newsom called the agreement “pathetic,” while Illinois Governor JB Pritzker described it as an “empty promise.” Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said it was a “bad deal” that left working families behind.
Despite polls showing that most Americans blamed Republicans for the shutdown, political analysts say the party may emerge relatively unscathed — or even strengthened — after the standoff’s resolution.
With the government now reopened and attention shifting toward the 2026 midterm elections, both parties are recalibrating their strategies amid renewed debate over health care, spending, and leadership within their ranks.
