Trump Ends Record 43-Day Government Shutdown, Signs Bill to Reopen Federal Agencies Amid Party Rift

President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a bill to end the longest government shutdown in United States history — a grueling 43-day standoff that paralyzed Washington, left hundreds of thousands of federal workers unpaid, and deepened partisan tensions in Congress.

The Republican-led House of Representatives passed the Senate-approved funding package largely along party lines, clearing the way to reopen shuttered departments and agencies. But many Democrats expressed frustration, viewing the agreement as a retreat by their leadership.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump lashed out at Democrats as he signed the measure, urging Americans to remember the crisis when they head to the polls for the midterm elections next year.

“Today we are sending a clear message that we will never give in to extortion,” Trump declared, surrounded by smiling Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Johnson, who had earlier blamed Democrats in a fiery floor speech, said the shutdown could have been avoided. “They knew it would cause pain, and they did it anyway. The whole exercise was pointless, wrong, and cruel,” he said.

The newly approved package funds the military, veterans’ affairs, agriculture, and Congress through next fall, with the rest of government operations financed until the end of January.

The deal brings relief to about 670,000 furloughed civil servants and another 670,000 who worked without pay, including more than 60,000 air traffic controllers and airport security personnel. Fired federal workers will be reinstated, and disrupted air travel is expected to normalize in the coming days.

While Trump claimed Democrats cost the country $1.5 trillion during the shutdown, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the economic damage at around $14 billion in lost growth.

Republicans, holding only a two-vote majority in the House, faced intense pressure to reach a resolution. Despite polls showing public sympathy leaned toward Democrats, many analysts believe the GOP emerged from the impasse in a stronger position.

Democrats had initially refused to reopen the government without an extension of pandemic-era tax credits that made health insurance more affordable. But after a group of eight moderate senators struck a compromise with Republicans, the deal moved forward — offering only a symbolic Senate vote on health care subsidies and no guaranteed action in the House.

The outcome has triggered internal party unrest, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer facing sharp criticism from progressives, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries defended the effort.

“Over the last several weeks, we have successfully elevated the issue of the Republican health care crisis, and we’re not backing away from it,” Jeffries told MSNBC.

Meanwhile, prominent Democratic governors and potential 2028 presidential contenders voiced disappointment. California’s Gavin Newsom slammed the agreement as “pathetic,” Illinois’ JB Pritzker called it an “empty promise,” and former transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg labeled it a “bad deal.”

As Washington returns to business, the political fallout from the 43-day shutdown is expected to shape both parties’ strategies heading into the 2026 midterm elections.