Here’s How This Shutdown Was Different Than Others

In a time of deep divisions, both sides see an advantage in leveraging funding deadlines for political advantage.

A sign indicates that the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center is closed due to lack of funding from the government during the 41st day of the government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, in Washington on Nov. 10, 2025. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times

News Analysis

The recent 43-day government shutdown—the longest in U.S. history—resulted not from an impasse over a piece of legislation but from the deepening political divide in the country that has left politicians and voters alike spoiling for a fight, some experts say.