US Government Shuts Down as Senate Blocks GOP Funding Bill

7 HOURS AGO·UPDATED 4 HOURS AGO

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Above: A view of the U.S. Capitol as the sun sets on Sept. 29, 2025. Image copyright: Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

The Spin

Democratic narrative

Extremist Republicans are holding the government hostage to force cuts to health care and vital services. The Democrats support a clean funding bill to keep America running. Shutting down services that millions rely on isn't leadership — it’s sabotage. Senate Democrats are fighting to protect working families, not caving to political brinkmanship.

MSNBC

Chuck Schumer on X

Republican narrative

Democrats' reckless spending and refusal to compromise forced this shutdown. The GOP demands responsible budgeting, not bloated programs that burden taxpayers. Until Democrats stop pushing partisan agendas in must-pass bills, the Republicans will hold the line. This is about restoring fiscal sanity and protecting the future of the American economy.

Newsmax Daily Caller

Karoline Leavitt on X

Cynical narrative

Both parties are complicit in manufacturing this shutdown crisis, treating it as political theater instead of governance. Democrats slip partisan priorities into must-pass bills, Republicans posture on fiscal purity, and together they normalize governing by crisis. These recurring standoffs aren’t accidents; they’ve become baked into how Washington works, weakening Congress and shifting more power to the executive. What’s sold as protecting families or taxpayers is really about headlines and base politics, while ordinary Americans pay the price.

The Fulcrum