This is day 35 of the government shutdown. On Wednesday, it will become the longest one in U.S. history. The shutdown is affecting everything from vital food programs to airport efficiency and safety.
As the stalemate continues on Capitol Hill, some lawmakers are discussing a bipartisan compromise, and Senate Majority Leader John Thune says he’s hopeful a deal can be reached this week. Other lawmakers are less optimistic.
“I don’t know if the Democrats are ready, and I say this with respect, they won’t get what they’ve asked for,” said Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana.
Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts blamed President Trump. “Mr. Art of the Deal doesn’t seem to understand that. He thinks he can bend reality. He thinks he can use hungry children as a bargaining chip against Democrats,” she said.
On Monday, the Trump administration said it will use emergency funds to cover SNAP benefits after a judge’s order to keep the nation’s largest food aid program running.
But the $4.5 billion in reserves is only enough to cover about half a month’s worth of payouts—and it could take weeks or even months to distribute. Many families say they are out of money for food now.
Volunteer Mike Bohlke hands food donations to recipients at the Long Beach Community Food Pantry in Long Beach, Miss., Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
SNAP recipient Symone Wilkes said, “There are days the kids eat, and I just survive off of water.”
Some states are now stepping in to fill the gap, including Maryland’s governor, who announced $62 million to help cover November SNAP benefits.
There’s also growing concern at airports across the country amid the shutdown after reports that 13,000 air traffic controllers and more than 60,000 TSA agents are not getting paid.
Air traveler Georgia Mori said, “I was in the airport for seven hours, so it was pretty bad.”
The GOP-led Senate has held 13 votes in an effort to reopen the government, but Democrats are still blocking the basic funding measure, demanding an extension of Obamacare subsidies instead. Republicans say they’re willing to negotiate that unrelated issue once the government is reopened.
President Trump told 60 Minutes he thinks the Democrats will come around—eventually.
“(Senate Minority Leader) Schumer has nothing to lose. I just left Japan, he’s become a kamikaze pilot,” Trump said on 60 Minutes. “It’s going to get solved. It’s going to get solved.”
With the Thanksgiving travel rush weeks away, concerns remain about air safety. Experts warn that air traffic controllers are already stretched thin and are now working weeks without a paycheck.
