The US government shutdown officially became the longest in the nation’s history on Wednesday, surpassing the 35-day record set during Donald Trump’s first term, as his administration warned of potential travel chaos and delayed federal benefits during the holiday season.
Federal agencies have been largely paralyzed since Congress failed to pass a new funding bill before the September 30 deadline. Millions of Americans who depend on federal assistance programs, including food aid, now face uncertainty as the stalemate drags on.
Despite minor signs of progress in recent days, roughly 1.4 million government employees, including park rangers and air traffic controllers, remain either furloughed or working without pay.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that the crisis could soon disrupt air travel across the country if no resolution is reached.
“So if you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos… you will see mass flight delays,” Duffy said during a press conference in Philadelphia.
“You’ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace, because we just cannot manage it because we don’t have the air traffic controllers.”
The warning comes as Thanksgiving air travel is projected to break records, with 5.8 million people expected to fly over the November 27 holiday, according to the American Automobile Association (AAA). More than 60,000 TSA and air traffic control employees are currently working without pay, raising concerns over absenteeism and potential system breakdowns.
The White House has hinted that rising no-shows among airport staff could cause “mass chaos” in terminals, echoing the situation that ended the 2019 shutdown.
At the heart of the deadlock is a partisan dispute over health care spending. Democrats have refused to vote on a funding package until an agreement is reached to renew insurance subsidies that help millions afford medical coverage. Republicans, meanwhile, insist on reopening the government before tackling the issue.
While congressional leaders have shown little movement, a small group of moderate lawmakers is quietly exploring possible compromises. A bipartisan proposal to lower insurance costs was introduced Monday by four centrist House members.
President Trump, however, has remained defiant, telling CBS News that he would “not be extorted.” On Tuesday, his administration reiterated threats to halt a major food assistance program benefiting 42 million Americans, a move already blocked by two courts. The White House later clarified it was still processing limited Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments “as much as we can and as quickly as we can.”
