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Longest Government Shutdown in U.S. History: 35 Days Over Border Wall Funding

The shutdown began when Trump refused to sign a continuing resolution that did not include wall funding, after initially indicating he would sign a bipartisan agreement. Approximately 800,000 federal workers went without pay; those deemed 'essential' — including air traffic controllers, TSA agents, Coast Guard personnel, and federal law enforcement — were required to work without compensation. The TSA began calling out sick in significant numbers, raising aviation safety concerns. Trump reopened the government after 35 days without receiving any wall funding.

Record summary

Grade

Grade 2 of 5: Major Abuse of Power

Executive actions that exceed constitutional authority, circumvent statutory constraints, or weaponize government institutions for political ends. Scale and definitions

Status
Concluded
Incident date
Record updated
Location
Washington, D.C.
Category
Rule of Law
Legal posture
Reported
War-crime classification
Enabling conduct
Verification
Independently verified
ICC relevance
No
Sources
3 cited
Stable ID
trump-shutdown-longest-in-us-history
Victims
Approximately 800,000 federal workers who went without pay for 35 days; contractors and small businesses dependent on government operations; recipients of federal services that were suspended or degraded
Alleged responsible parties
  • Donald Trump, President of the United States; refused to sign funding bill without wall money— White House

Key points

  • The shutdown began December 22, 2018, after Trump refused to sign a continuing resolution that had already passed the Senate unanimously without wall funding — reversing an earlier indication he would sign it
  • 35 days — the longest shutdown in U.S. history, breaking the previous record of 21 days set under Clinton
  • Approximately 800,000 federal workers were directly affected: 380,000 furloughed and 420,000 required to work without pay as 'essential' employees
  • Among essential workers required to work without pay: air traffic controllers, TSA screeners, Coast Guard personnel, federal law enforcement, and border protection agents
  • TSA officers began calling out sick at dramatically elevated rates as the shutdown extended — raising concerns about aviation security; the National Air Traffic Controllers Association warned about safety implications
  • Trump reopened the government on January 25, 2019, without receiving any wall funding — through the same type of continuing resolution he had refused to sign 35 days earlier

Overview

Trump shut down the federal government for 35 days — the longest in U.S. history — demanding $5.7 billion for a border wall. He reopened the government 35 days later without receiving the wall funding. The policy goal was not achieved. The shutdown was not a negotiating success.

What it was, for 800,000 federal workers, was a financial crisis.

The Federal Workers

Essential workers were required to show up. Air traffic controllers kept planes in the air. TSA officers screened passengers at airports. Coast Guard personnel maintained maritime operations. Federal law enforcement agents continued their duties. They did this for weeks without receiving paychecks.

Many lived paycheck to paycheck. Food banks near federal facilities reported surges in demand from government workers. Some took second jobs. Some couldn't make rent. None of this was their fault — they were required by law to work, and they were not paid.

The Aviation Safety Warning

The TSA reported dramatic increases in call-outs as the shutdown extended, with sick days taken at roughly twice the normal rate. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association issued public warnings about safety implications of controllers working without pay under financial stress.

The warning was real enough that aviation safety experts took it seriously. The shutdown was creating conditions that degraded the safety infrastructure that millions of passengers relied on daily.

The Outcome

Trump signed a continuing resolution reopening the government without wall funding. The same type of bill he had refused to sign 35 days earlier. Nothing had changed in the legislative arithmetic. The shutdown had accomplished nothing except placing 800,000 federal workers in financial distress and setting a record for the longest government shutdown in American history.

Update log

  1. Updated with reopening without wall funding.

Sequence of events

  1. Senate passes CR without wall funding

    The Senate passes a bipartisan continuing resolution without wall funding; the White House initially indicates Trump will sign it. Conservative media and commentators, including Ann Coulter and Rush Limbaugh, criticize the deal.

  2. Trump reverses — refuses to sign

    Trump reverses course and says he will not sign a funding bill without wall funding. The House passes an amended bill with $5.7 billion for the wall; the Senate does not pass it.

  3. Partial shutdown begins

    Funding for approximately 25% of the federal government — nine cabinet departments — lapses. The shutdown begins.

  4. Record for longest shutdown broken

    The shutdown passes 22 days, exceeding the previous U.S. record set during the Clinton administration in 1995-1996.

  5. Trump signs continuing resolution — no wall funding

    Trump signs a continuing resolution to reopen the government for three weeks — without any wall funding. He describes it as a compromise while threatening another shutdown. He does not receive the $5.7 billion he had demanded.

Sources

  1. Government Shutdown Ends After 35 Days — The New York Times
  2. Government shutdown ends as Trump signs deal with no wall funding — The Washington Post
  3. 800,000 workers affected — essential workers required to work without pay — The Associated Press

How this record was published

Manually curated This entry was added directly and does not carry an automated audit trail.

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