Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a bill to end the longest government shutdown in American history, concluding a 43-day standoff that brought Washington to a standstill and left hundreds of thousands of federal workers unpaid. The Republican-led House of Representatives passed the Senate-approved funding package largely along party lines, reopening key federal departments and agencies while igniting anger among Democrats who accused their leadership of capitulation.

Signing the measure at the Oval Office, Trump criticized Democrats for what he described as “extortion,” urging Americans to remember the turmoil during next year’s midterm elections. “Today we are sending a clear message that we will never give in to extortion,” Trump said, flanked by senior Republicans including House Speaker Mike Johnson, who blamed Democrats for causing unnecessary pain to federal workers. The funding bill will keep most government operations running through next fall, while some departments are funded through January.

The agreement allows approximately 670,000 furloughed civil servants to return to work and ensures back pay for an equal number who worked without compensation, including thousands of air traffic controllers and airport security officers. It also reinstates federal employees dismissed during the shutdown, with disrupted air travel expected to gradually normalize. While Trump claimed Democrats cost the country $1.5 trillion, the Congressional Budget Office estimated economic losses at around $14 billion due to the prolonged closure.

Despite maintaining public support during the shutdown, Democrats emerged divided as moderate senators broke ranks to strike a deal with Republicans, offering only limited debate on healthcare subsidies. Party leaders are now facing internal backlash over the perceived lack of gains from the standoff. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries defended the Democrats’ stance, saying it highlighted the “Republican health care crisis,” while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer faced criticism from progressives for failing to maintain party unity. Prominent Democratic figures including California Governor Gavin Newsom, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, and former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg condemned the agreement, calling it a “bad deal” and a missed opportunity for reform.

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