U.S. Shutdown Becomes Longest on Record as Flight Cuts and Political Pressure Intensify

Overview

• Now in its 36th day, the partial federal shutdown has surpassed all previous records without a resolution.
• Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said the government will reduce flight volumes by 10% at 40 airports and limit space launches to specific hours starting November 7.
• President Donald Trump urged Senate Republicans to end the closure immediately by abolishing the filibuster to pass funding.
• Axios reported that Trump warned senators the prolonged shutdown could "kill" the Republican Party and brand its members as "do‑nothing Republicans."
• Bloomberg estimates the shutdown is costing about $15 billion per week, with economists warning of roughly $14 billion in irreversible losses by Thanksgiving, while programs such as Head Start face suspended funding, USDA plans to provide only half of November food assistance, SBA lending is blocked for about $2.5 billion, and hundreds of thousands of federal employees are going unpaid.