A look at how common government shutdowns are and how long they last

At 12:01 a.m. ET on Wednesday, the federal government entered its first shutdown since 2018, after two competing funding proposals, one from Democrats and one from Republicans, failed in the Senate. The setback worsened the impasse, with neither side showing a willingness to concede.

Although once rare, government shutdowns have become more frequent in recent decades as brinkmanship has become a feature of budget negotiations.

Since 1976, the U.S. government has experienced 20 shutdowns. The most recent, longest in U.S. history, occurred during a dispute over funding the president. that of Donald Trump The border wall disrupted government operations for 34 days, from December 2018 to January 2019.

HOPES RISE ON FORECAST MARKETS AS TRADERS BET GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WILL EXTEND FOR WEEKS

Trump on Monday evening blamed Democratic lawmakers for the shutdown, saying he would be “happy to work with Democrats on their failed health care policies” once the government reopens.

“Democrats SHUT DOWN the United States government in the middle of one of the most prosperous economies, with a record stock market, that our country has ever seen,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “This has unfortunately affected many programs, services and other elements of society that Americans rely on – and it should not have happened.”

“I’m happy to work with Democrats on their failed health care policies, or anything else, but they must first allow our government to reopen,” he added.

Trump says government shutdown layoffs ‘up to par’ with Dems as standoff continues

The latest government shutdown was triggered by funding for President Donald Trump’s border wall. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

Previous government shutdowns were more about political drama than economic disruption, with markets and employment recovering quickly.

However, the shutdown, which spans its first week, comes as the Trump administration warns that federal government furloughs could become permanent. Typically, furloughs are temporary; once Congress Once the impasse is resolved, employees return to work and receive back pay.

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The government shutdown is expected to cost taxpayers $400 million a day to pay furloughed federal employees, according to data from the Congressional Budget Office. (Mehmet Eser/Anadolu/Getty Images)

On Monday, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt again placed blame for potential mass layoffs on Democrats, echoing the administration’s stance on the shutdown.

“This conversation about layoffs wouldn’t be happening right now if Democrats didn’t vote to shut down the government,” Leavitt said.