The longest shutdown in the United States ends: Trump signs the government's reopening order after a 43-day shutdown.

After more than six weeks of institutional paralysis, the United States is turning the page: Donald Trump has signed the measure ending the longest shutdown in American history., lasted well 43 daysThe decision, which officially reopens the activities of the federal government, comes after the favorable vote of the Congress, which approved the measure with 222 votes in favor and 209 against in the House, while in the Senate eight Democrats broke party discipline to support the Republican proposal.

"It must not be repeated again" Trump declared during the ceremony in the Oval Office, thanking the Democrats who collaborated in overcoming the crisis. "Today we send a clear message: we will never give in to political blackmail," added the president, surrounded by Republican leaders and the Speaker of the House. Mike Johnson, satisfied with the outcome of the shutdown, but at the same time critical of the Democrats: “cWe feel very relieved. The Democrat-led government shutdown is finally over. All of this was completely pointless and foolish. The outcome was entirely predictable. The Democrats achieved nothing with their selfish political move."

The causes of the crisis

The shutdown, which began last October 1st, was caused by the failure to reach an agreement on the federal budget for 2026. The main point of the political conflict was the Obamacare, the health care reform desired by the Democrats and opposed by the Republicans, who excluded the extension of health insurance subsidies from the refinancing measure.

Trump reiterated his critical stance towards the law: “Obamacare was a disaster from the start. We want the money to go directly to Americans, so they can choose their own health care coverage.,” he said, accusing Democrats of causing the shutdown for political reasons.

For his part, the liberal leader Hakeem Jeffries he promised battle: “This is just the beginning. Republicans will pay dearly for their choice in the 2026 midterm elections.”. According to estimates, without an extension of subsidies, Obamacare insurance premiums could increase by an average of 114%.

The effects on the country

The government shutdown had very serious consequences. Over 1,2 million federal workers have been suspended or forced to work without pay, and 13.000 air traffic controllers together with 50.000 airport security personnel They worked for weeks without pay. Now, with the reopening, they will be able to receive their back pay and resume regular work.

The return to normality will also affect the air transport sector, where thousands of flights had been canceled, and federal scientific agencies such as NASA e National Science Foundation, which remained inactive for over a month. The resumption of the food assistance programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), on which they depend 42 million Americans, and which will be funded until September 2026.

The economic impact and the markets

Economically, the shutdown has caused an estimated loss of 1,5 trillion dollars according to estimates by the Treasury Department. This figure includes: missed wages for more than 1,2 million federal workers, the disruptions to public services and transportation and the indirect impact on businesses, suppliers and domestic consumption.

Analysts also pointed out that the shutdown had a negative impact on the market confidence, slowed GDP growth in the current quarter and caused delays in thousands of public and scientific projects, from infrastructure to NASA aerospace research.

At the moment, in fact, financial markets are reacting cautiously: Asian stock markets have shown contrasting trends, with the Nikkei slightly up (+0,29%) and the Hang Seng down (-0,11%).

Experts point out that the end of the shutdown will bring short-term relief, but the political uncertainties and next meeting on Obamacare could keep volatility high in the markets.

The Epstein case and Trump's reaction

In parallel with the reopening of the government, Trump has once again found himself at the centre of controversy for the publication of new emails related to the Jeffrey Epstein case, The financier who died in 2019 and was accused of child sex trafficking. The president blasted the affair as a "hoax orchestrated by Democrats to divert attention from their failures," writing on Truth Social: "Democrats are trying to revive the Epstein hoax to cover up the disastrous shutdown and many other mistakes."

La White House He quickly denied any implications, stressing that “President Trump did nothing wrong” and recalling that “he himself banned Epstein from Mar-a-Lago.”

What will happen now

The approved agreement guarantees funds up to January 30, 2026 for the main ministries and cancels further 4.000 federal layoffs announced during the shutdown. It also prevents further layoffs until the end of January, allowing for a gradual return to administrative normality. Political tension, however, is far from resolved: within a few weeks, Congress will have to discuss the matter again. budget and health care reform.

Trump promised that his administration "will work to prevent similar paralyses from happening again", but he also relaunched the political conflict in view of the midterm elections, calling on Americans to “remember the 43 days of chaos caused by the Democrats.”