Government Shutdown Averted! Trump Signs Six-Month Funding Bill

President Donald Trump signed legislation Saturday night funding the U.S. government through September 30, averting a partial shutdown just hours after the Senate passed the measure. The signing, confirmed by White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields on X, caps a contentious congressional battle that exposed deep Democratic divisions.

The bill, a continuing resolution, largely maintains funding levels set under President Joe Biden, with tweaks: it cuts non-defense spending by $13 billion and boosts defense by $6 billion—minor shifts within a $1.7 trillion topline. Passed by the Senate 54-46 on Friday, the measure saw 10 Democrats cross party lines to ensure its passage, despite fierce opposition from House Democrats who decried its lack of bipartisan input and cuts to health care and housing.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned that a shutdown would have empowered Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to dismantle agencies unchecked. “A shutdown would let DOGE shift into overdrive, allowing Trump and Musk to destroy vital services rapidly,” he said, swaying enough senators to avoid that fate.

In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson and Trump secured a rare victory, rallying Republicans to pass the bill without Democratic support—a feat seldom achieved. The six-month reprieve sets the stage for further budget clashes as Trump’s administration pushes its agenda, spotlighting the fragile balance of power in a polarized Congress.