The partial shutdown of the United States government has now stretched into its ninth day, with Republicans and Democrats continuing to exchange blame for the ongoing deadlock.
President Donald Trump has so far refused to commit to negotiations with the Democrats to end the impasse, stating, “We don’t want to have a gun held to our head.”
He went on to say, “I see the deal just getting extended as we continue to talk, but we’re willing to pay because we’re paying, it’s very simple. I think that’ll get worked out, but we want to get back before we do this. We don’t want to have a gun held to our head. We don’t like that, and the public doesn’t like it either. So we want to get back. And I think it’s going to work out. I think it’s going to work out very well.”
Vice-President JD Vance also placed the blame on the Democrats, accusing them of jeopardising payments to military personnel during the shutdown.
“We are trying to figure out how to pay our troops, because Chuck Schumer is shutting down the US government. There are veterans benefits that are going to suffer. There are Americans that are going to suffer because Chuck Schumer refuses to do his job,” Vance stated.
Both civilian and military employees continue to go unpaid. Active-duty troops will likely miss their next paycheque on 15 October.
Republicans allege that Democrats are stalling negotiations by demanding healthcare benefits for undocumented immigrants. Democrats have dismissed the claim as misinformation from the Trump administration.
Democrats insist their priority is to restore healthcare funding for American citizens, reduced under the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’, passed earlier this year.
Travel disruption continues to worsen, with more than 200 flights delayed at two Chicago airports on Thursday.
Earlier in the week, airports in New York, Denver and Los Angeles reported similar delays caused by a shortage of air traffic controllers. Staffing gaps have also affected airports in Washington, DC, Newark (New Jersey) and Jacksonville (Florida).
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy held Democrats accountable for the escalating aviation crisis, writing on a social media platform.
Taking to X, he posted, “Air traffic controllers need to come to work. But I understand why they’re frustrated — @SenSchumer is putting illegal immigrants over their paycheck.
Air traffic controllers need to come to work.
But I understand why they’re frustrated — @SenSchumer is putting illegal immigrants over their paycheck. pic.twitter.com/QGpM1nSccf
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) October 9, 2025
Around 13,000 air traffic controllers are currently working without pay, and many have stopped reporting for duty.
The Department of Transportation has suspended recruitment and training programmes for new controllers.
Duffy also warned on Monday that a federal scheme supporting air links to rural regions would run out of funds by the end of the week if the shutdown continues.
“There’s many small communities across the country that will now no longer have the resources to make sure they have air service in their communities,” he asserted.
Roughly two-thirds of National Park Service staff remain furloughed, impacting major tourist sites, including:
- Carlsbad Caverns and Petrified Forest National Parks in Arizona, and
- White Sands National Park in New Mexico
In Washington, DC, the Library of Congress, National Archives Museum, Washington Monument and National Arboretum have closed their doors. Tours of the Capitol Building and the Pentagon remain suspended.
The Smithsonian Institution announced that its museums and the National Zoo in the capital would remain open to visitors until 11 October.
This marks the first federal government shutdown in seven years.
The previous one, during Trump’s first term, lasted 35 days, the longest in US history.
Also Read: ‘A Great Day For Israel’: Netanyahu Thanks Trump For Gaza Peace Agreement
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