U.S. Government Shutdown Reaches Day 25 With No End in Sight
U.S. Government Shutdown Reaches Day 25 With No End in Sight
By News Times Staff | October 26, 2025
The U.S. government shutdown entered its 25th day on Saturday, with no breakthrough in sight as political divisions between Republicans and Democrats continue to deepen. The shutdown—now the second-longest in American history—has left hundreds of thousands of federal workers without pay, disrupted essential services, and put millions of Americans at risk of losing critical benefits.
Political Stalemate Deepens
The Senate adjourned on Thursday without progress and is not expected to reconvene until Monday, virtually guaranteeing the impasse will stretch into next week. The chamber has now failed twelve times to advance a Republican funding bill. A separate GOP proposal aimed at paying essential federal employees and contractors during the lapse also failed to advance.
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), who sponsored the bill, said he will continue talks with Democrats next week. “I want to stop playing brinkmanship. I want to stop playing with people’s lives,” Johnson said. He indicated he is open to making the payment system permanent to prevent similar crises in the future.
Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) accused Democrats of being in “a very bad headspace” for rejecting the bill, saying they are “voting against paying people who are working every single day and not getting paid.”
Schumer Criticizes Trump’s Asia Trip
As the shutdown continues, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) sharply criticized President Donald Trump for departing on a week-long Asia trip. “While Americans are struggling to make ends meet and federal workers are going without pay, the President is leaving the country,” Schumer said. “America is shut down, and the President is skipping town.”
Mr. Trump is scheduled to attend the ASEAN summit in Malaysia before visiting Japan and South Korea, where he will meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for trade negotiations.
Federal Workers Struggle Without Pay
The human toll of the shutdown continues to mount. Approximately 670,000 federal employees remain furloughed, while 730,000 essential workers, including air traffic controllers and TSA officers, are still working without pay.
Jill Hornick, a 59-year-old Social Security Administration worker in Illinois, told CBS News she has “eliminated all nonessential spending” and is “working on her own dime.” Hornick, who continues to report to work daily, said, “It’s very annoying that furloughed employees can collect unemployment, but essential workers who must work cannot.”
The head of the U.S. Capitol Police union, Gus Papathanasiou, called the lack of negotiation “extremely frustrating.” Many officers, he said, are “taking out loans to feed their families” and “borrowing money from relatives to make rent.”
Air Travel Disruptions Grow
Airports across the country are facing increasing strain as unpaid air traffic controllers call in sick or work under severe stress. On Friday, major flight delays hit Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and San Diego International Airport due to critical staffing shortages.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the system remains safe but under pressure. “If we don’t have enough controllers, we’ll reduce flight capacity or cancel flights,” he said, blaming Democrats for prolonging the shutdown. The number of daily delays due to staffing shortages has risen from 5% to as much as 53%, according to federal data.
SNAP and Food Assistance Threatened
One of the most alarming consequences of the shutdown could come on November 1, when over 40 million Americans risk losing access to food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Several states, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, New York, and Texas, have warned residents that they may not receive benefits next month. In Massachusetts, Governor Maura Healey announced a partnership with local food banks and charities to raise emergency funds for those affected. “Those who have the means—this is the time to step up,” Healey said.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) accused Republicans of trying to “weaponize hunger” to push through extreme spending policies. “That’s unacceptable and un-American,” Jeffries said. He cited GOP legislation earlier this year that proposed $186 billion in cuts to food assistance programs.
Economic Fallout and Data Delays
The shutdown has begun to affect the release of key government data. The White House confirmed that next month’s inflation report will likely not be issued for the first time in history because Labor Department surveyors cannot collect necessary data.
“Because surveyors cannot deploy to the field, there will likely NOT be an inflation release next month,” said Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. Economists warn that the absence of the report could unsettle markets and complicate Federal Reserve policy decisions.
House Out of Session for Another Week
The House of Representatives remains inactive, with Speaker Mike Johnson declaring next week a district work period. The House has not held a recorded vote since September 19. Democrats plan to meet in Washington on Tuesday for an in-person caucus, but no votes are scheduled unless a Senate deal materializes.
Public Fatigue and Uncertain Future
Across the nation, frustration continues to grow. Food banks, transit systems, and public service agencies are bracing for deeper impacts if the stalemate continues into November. With both parties trading blame and no signs of compromise, Americans are left facing mounting uncertainty.
As one furloughed worker in Washington, D.C., told News Times:
“It feels like we’re the collateral damage in a political war no one seems to care about ending.”
Key Facts at a Glance:
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Day 25 of the government shutdown
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Senate adjourned until Monday
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1.4 million federal workers affected
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40 million Americans risk losing food benefits
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Air travel delays at major airports due to controller shortages
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Inflation report canceled due to data collection freeze
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