The US government began shutting down just after midnight on Wednesday, after President Donald Trump and congressional leaders failed to resolve a budget deadlock, primarily centered around Democratic demands for increased health care funding.

This marks the first government shutdown since the historic 35-day closure nearly seven years ago. The latest stoppage will halt operations across multiple federal agencies and departments, affecting hundreds of thousands of workers.

President Trump blamed Democrats for the stalemate, warning that the shutdown would impact their priorities and constituents. "So we`d be laying off a lot of people that are going to be very affected. And they`re Democrats, they`re going to be Democrats," Trump said in the Oval Office. He also claimed shutdowns can be beneficial, suggesting the break could help eliminate policies he described as "Democrat things."

Federal operations began winding down at 12:01 a.m. (0401 GMT), after the Senate failed to pass a short-term funding measure that had cleared the House of Representatives. A last-ditch meeting at the White House earlier in the week failed to yield a breakthrough.

While congressional gridlock over spending is common, full shutdowns are typically avoided. Democrats, who hold the minority in both chambers, have used this rare leverage eight months into Trump’s second term, as his administration continues to dismantle federal programs.

Adding to worker unease, Trump’s comments about potential job cuts follow mass layoffs earlier this year carried out by the Department of Government Efficiency, led by billionaire Elon Musk.

Health care at the center of the standoff

Senate rules require 60 votes to pass funding bills — more than the Republicans currently hold. The GOP proposed a temporary extension through late November to allow more time for long-term budget negotiations. However, Democrats rejected the proposal, demanding the restoration of significant health care spending, particularly for the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) programs that the Trump administration seeks to eliminate.

Almost all Senate Democrats opposed the short-term bill, leading to the shutdown just before the deadline.

It is unclear how long the shutdown will last. Since 1976, the federal government has closed 21 times under the current budgeting system. Some have lasted only hours, while the longest — from December 22, 2018 — ran for 35 days amid a dispute over Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion for a border wall.

That shutdown affected 800,000 workers — half furloughed, half working without pay.

While the Senate is expected to return Wednesday, the House is on recess for the week, delaying any potential rapid resolution. The Senate will adjourn Thursday for Yom Kippur but could reconvene Friday and possibly work through the weekend.

Essential services like the military, postal operations, and welfare programs such as Social Security and food assistance will continue. However, up to 750,000 federal workers may be furloughed daily and will not receive pay until the government reopens, according to the Congressional Budget Office.