Washington: The U.S. government officially shut down early Wednesday for the first time since 2019 after a divided Congress failed to reach an agreement over a short-term funding measure. The shutdown commenced at 12:01 a.m., raising concerns about potential disruptions to key federal services and the likelihood of furloughs for many government workers. On its website, the White House attributed the shutdown to actions by Democrats.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the funding lapse emerged from intense disagreements between Republicans and Democrats over an extension of Obamacare subsidies. This shutdown marks the first occurrence since the partial government shutdown in 2019, which lasted 35 days amid a political impasse over President Trump’s request for funding to support the construction of a southern border wall.

On Tuesday, President Trump suggested that his administration might consider reducing federal workers and state programs during the shutdown period. Further, Russell Vought, head of the White House Office of Management and Budget, issued a memo directing government agencies to initiate plans “for an orderly shutdown,” as reported by The Hill.