Trump Signs Bill to End Record 43-Day Government Shutdown, Reopens Federal Agencies

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a bill officially ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, bringing relief to hundreds of thousands of federal workers and reopening key government departments after 43 days of political gridlock.

The bill, passed by the Republican-led House of Representatives and previously approved by the Senate, restores funding for several critical sectors including military construction, veterans’ affairs, the Department of Agriculture, and Congress. Other government agencies will be funded through the end of January next year.

Speaking from the Oval Office after signing the legislation, President Trump called the shutdown a “lesson in political accountability” and criticized Democrats for what he described as obstructionist tactics. “Today we are sending a clear message that we will never give in to extortion,” Trump said, surrounded by Republican lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson.

Johnson, in a fiery speech before the vote, blamed Democrats for prolonging the crisis. “They knew that it would cause pain, and they did it anyway,” he said. “The whole exercise was pointless. It was wrong and it was cruel.”

The shutdown, which lasted 43 days, left roughly 670,000 federal employees furloughed and another 670,000 working without pay — including more than 60,000 air traffic controllers and airport security personnel. With the passage of the bill, these workers will now receive full back pay.

The agreement also reinstates federal employees who were dismissed during the shutdown, while air travel and other essential services disrupted across the country are expected to return to normal in the coming days.

The political standoff, fueled by partisan clashes over budget priorities, has drawn national attention ahead of next year’s midterm elections. President Trump urged Americans to remember the “chaos and dysfunction” when heading to the polls, framing the end of the shutdown as a victory for Republican leadership and a warning against what he called “Democratic obstruction.”

The reopening of the federal government sets the stage for renewed political battles over spending and governance in the months ahead.