Government Shutdown Could End This Week: White House Economist

If not, the White House will look at ’stronger measures’ to bring to the negotiating table.

Kevin Hassett, National Economic Council director, speaks to reporters at the White House on April 14, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque/ File Photo

National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said the U.S. government shutdown, now three weeks old, is “likely to end sometime this week.”

In an interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box” on Oct. 20, the top White House economic adviser said a chorus of Senate Democrats thought that it would be “bad optics” to reopen the government before the “No Kings” rallies.