US government shuts down as Congress fails to pass funding bill

Demonstrators march through Chicago protesting the agenda of the Trump Administration, on Tuesday. PIC/AFP

As the clock has struck midnight in the US, the federal government officially shut down after a deadlocked Congress failed to pass a funding measure to keep the lights on - and the Capitol is clueless as to what would follow. This is the first government shutdown since 2019.

The US is confronting a fresh cycle of uncertainty after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to keep government programmes and services running by Wednesday's deadline. Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, some potentially fired by the Trump administration.

Many offices will be shuttered, perhaps permanently, as Trump vows to "do things that are irreversible, that are bad" as retribution. His deportation agenda is expected to run full speed ahead, while education, environmental and other services sputter. The economic fallout is expected to be nationwide. "We don't want it to shut down," Trump said. But the president appeared unable to negotiate any deal between Democrats and Republicans.

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