Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump marked the first anniversary of his inauguration on Saturday with his government in shutdown, accusing Democrats of taking Americans hostage with their demands and saying they "could have easily made a deal." As the clock struck midnight, in the absence of an agreed spending plan, federal services began to come to a halt or be scaled back. Essential services and military activity will continue but many public sector workers will be sent home without wages and even serving soldiers will not be paid until a deal is reached to reopen the US government.