The US Government Shutdown Is the Longest Ever. Why Does This Keep Happening?

Government shutdowns have become a recurring feature of US politics, the product of partisan standoffs over spending that force federal agencies to halt a wide range of services. The latest shutdown — the third under President Donald Trump across his two terms — began at midnight on Oct. 1, when Congress failed to pass a stopgap funding measure, triggering the nation’s first government closure in almost seven years. On Nov. 5, it entered its 36th day, making it the longest shutdown in history.