The Impact of the Ongoing US Government Shutdown on Millions

Fri Dec 05 2025 06:10:32 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As the US government shutdown stretches into its fifth week, millions of Americans face economic hardships. Here's how ongoing political gridlock affects food assistance, military pay, heating, and the livelihood of federal workers.

The protracted US government shutdown has entered its fifth week, impacting over 40 million individuals reliant on food assistance through SNAP. Additionally, military personnel may miss their pay, heating assistance funds are at risk as winter approaches, and federal civilian employees are struggling without pay. As political stagnation continues, advocacy groups warn of severe repercussions for affected families.

The US government shutdown has entered its fifth week and there is no clear end in sight.

With Democrats and Republicans deadlocked over passing a spending plan that would reopen federal agencies, millions of Americans are feeling economic pain that could soon grow worse.

The fiscal fight means millions of Americans may not receive food aid, thousands of troops could have to work without pay, and millions may go without heat.

Here’s how the shutdown has affected everyday people.

Food assistance

More than 40 million Americans use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to feed themselves and their families.

While that programme had enough funding to survive the first four weeks of the shutdown, the Trump administration has said the money will run out on 1 November.

By Saturday, SNAP benefits, also called food stamps, could lapse for the first time in the programme's history.

SNAP is a critical lifeline that keeps families out of poverty, according to Hannah Garth, a Princeton University professor who studies food insecurity.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency to help the three million New Yorkers losing food assistance because of the shutdown.

Military pay

If the Trump administration does not intervene, more than a million members of the US military will miss their paycheques on Friday.

Many military families are considered food insecure, and the Pentagon accepted a $130 million gift from a wealthy donor to help pay salaries, but that amounts to just $100 per service member.

Heat amid the winter chill

Around six million Americans rely on the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) for help with utility bills.

With temperatures dropping, many face serious risks if the government does not resolve funding issues soon.

Federal civilian workers

Thousands of federal civilian employees are also missing pay this week, affecting their ability to provide for their families.

If the shutdown continues through December, it could lead to $21 billion in unpaid wages.

Air traffic controllers

Thousands of air traffic controllers missed their first paycheques this week and are forced to work without pay. This situation has contributed to increased flight delays.

With the shutdown continuing, millions of Americans face increasing economic hardships as essential services remain jeopardized.