The 20-day United States federal government shutdown could end this week, according to a senior White House adviser, raising cautious optimism that a deal to restore public services may soon be within reach.
The shutdown began on 1 October after Congress failed to approve spending bills for the 2026 fiscal year, triggering widespread disruption across government departments. Around 900,000 federal employees have since been placed on unpaid leave or are working without pay, while services at national parks, research agencies and regulators have been scaled back.
