Trump Calls Shutdown-End Deal “Very Good” as Federal Agencies Reopen

President Donald Trump stood in the Oval Office on Monday and declared victory with a grin, praising a “very good” bipartisan compromise that finally ends the longest government shutdown in U.S. history after 41 brutal days. The standoff had paralyzed federal agencies, furloughed 2.2 million essential and non-essential workers, grounded air travel with unpaid controllers, and cost the economy a staggering $18 billion in lost output, delayed contracts, and shuttered national parks. Trump, speaking amid the swearing-in of new India envoy Sergio Gor, told reporters, “We’ll be opening up our country very quickly,” and vowed to sign the bill the moment it lands on his desk, signaling an immediate return to normalcy for millions of affected Americans.

The turning point came in the Senate when eight moderate Democrats, including Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, broke ranks with party leadership to join Republicans in a decisive 60-40 procedural vote. This unlocked a short-term funding package that runs through January 30 and includes three full-year appropriations bills for defense, homeland security, and veterans’ affairs. Crucially, the deal guarantees back pay for all furloughed employees within 72 hours of reopening and explicitly prohibits federal agencies from firing non-essential staff during the interim period—a direct reversal of Trump’s earlier executive order that had threatened mass layoffs to “drain the swamp” of bureaucratic bloat.

Trump doubled down on his commitment, saying, “The deal is very good,” and confirming he would “abide by the deal” even though it blocks his push to permanently downsize the federal workforce. The agreement sidesteps a Democratic demand to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at year’s end, a move that has infuriated progressives. House Democratic Caucus Chair Hakeem Jeffries blasted the omission, warning that without renewal, 24 million ACA enrollees could face premium spikes of up to 40% in 2026, potentially pushing 20 million Americans off coverage. White House aides countered that the administration is exploring direct consumer subsidies as an alternative, though no formal plan has been released.

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With the Senate bill now racing to the House for a likely vote on Wednesday, GOP leaders are pushing for passage before the Thanksgiving holiday on November 27 to avoid further public backlash. Meanwhile, a separate legal battle rages: the Trump administration returned to the Supreme Court on Monday to maintain a freeze on full SNAP food aid payments for 42 million low-income Americans during the shutdown. A lower court had ordered full November benefits, but the DOJ argues emergency protocols allow partial disbursements. The case remains pending, leaving families in limbo and anti-poverty advocates decrying the administration’s “cruel priorities.”

As federal offices prepare to flicker back to life, the economic ripple effects will linger for months—IRS refund delays have stranded $140 billion in taxpayer money, small businesses near national parks report 60% revenue drops, and air travel chaos has cost airlines $2.5 billion. Trump, however, framed the resolution as proof of his deal-making prowess, telling Fox News, “Schumer thought he could break us—he got broken.” With government doors reopening, attention now shifts to December budget talks, where Democrats vow to fight for ACA protections and Trump eyes leverage for border wall funding and tax cuts. The shutdown may be over, but the political war is just heating up.

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