The U.S. government shutdown reached its 15th day on October 15, 2025, as Democrats and Republicans remained deadlocked over federal funding. The Trump administration reshuffled Pentagon funds to ensure active-duty troops receive paychecks, easing one pressure point, while a federal judge temporarily halted layoffs affecting thousands of civilian employees. Negotiations stalled in the Senate, with Democrats demanding extensions for expiring health care subsidies.
The partial government shutdown, now in its third week, began after Congress failed to pass funding legislation by the fiscal year's end. House Republicans passed a clean continuing resolution (CR) based on March Democratic spending levels, without policy riders, but it has stalled in the Senate, where it failed to advance for the eighth time on October 14. The measure requires 60 votes but received only 51-44 support on October 15. Democrats, led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, insist on including extensions for Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at year's end, which could cause premiums to rise for about 500,000 Michiganders alone during open enrollment starting November 1.
President Donald Trump criticized Schumer during an Oval Office press conference, calling the shutdown a 'Democrat Schumer shutdown' and labeling him a 'loser' seeking party relevance. Trump added, 'He’s always been sort of a loser — but an intelligent one. I think he’s losing IQ points with time.' House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed this, suggesting Democrats are delaying resolution until after planned 'No Kings' protests on October 18, described as a response to perceived Trump administration excesses.
To mitigate impacts, the White House repurposed funds to pay active-duty military personnel, who were due mid-month paychecks on October 15. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries praised the move: 'I agree with making sure that our men and women in uniform, our active duty troops, are paid.' However, Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., expressed concerns for civilian military employees, noting her bipartisan bill to guarantee their pay during shutdowns. Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., welcomed the action but worried about end-of-month bills if the shutdown persists.
The administration also allocated funds for the WIC program but pursued layoffs, announcing reductions in force (RIFs) for over 4,200 federal workers on October 11, targeting agencies like the CDC, Department of Education's special education office, and HUD's fair housing unit. Some notices, including nearly 800 at HHS, were reversed due to errors. On October 15, U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued a temporary restraining order pausing further layoffs at over 30 agencies, calling the actions 'illegal and in excess of authority' and 'arbitrary and capricious.' Unions AFGE and AFSCME argued the moves violate laws like the Antideficiency Act. Trump defended the cuts as ending 'Democrat-sponsored programs,' while Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., called them a 'big lie,' noting ongoing workforce reductions regardless of shutdown status.
Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., urged passing the clean CR to reopen government and negotiate issues like health subsidies separately, warning of risks to SNAP benefits and airport operations. Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., co-sponsored a bipartisan bill to extend subsidies for a year, criticizing Democrats for using the shutdown as leverage despite knowing the expiration date.
