What Was the Longest Government Shutdown by Any U.S. President? Data by President, Shutdown Days, Shutdowns Over Time, Cause & Resolution, and Impact

Research compiled by FPS | Last updated: June 2026

Government shutdowns occur when Congress fails to pass legislation or temporary funding measures to finance the government before the expiration of the current funding deal. Shutdowns can cause either a full or partial cessation of government operations, the suspension of non-essential services, and the furloughing of non-essential government workers, who may either be temporarily deprived of work or may work while unpaid.

Government shutdowns have become a common political concern for U.S. Presidents in recent years, particularly since the 1980 Civiletti opinion, which established the current framework of government closures during shutdowns. The guide below examines the longest government shutdowns that occurred during the tenure of a U.S. President, examining data regarding duration, cause, resolution, and financial impact.

Longest Government Shutdowns by President

Since the 1980 Civiletti opinion, there have been several major, long-lasting shutdowns of the U.S. government. Below, we examine the data regarding the longest full federal shutdown by each President since 1980, shutdown start and end dates, and party control during each event. 

Longest Full Federal Shutdown Under Each President, Ranked by Duration in Days

The longest full federal government shutdown in U.S. history occurred from September 30, 2025 to November 12, 2025, during the second term of President Donald J. Trump. This shutdown lasted 43 days, exceeding the previous shutdown record of 35 days, which also occurred under President Trump, during his first term. A longer, 76-day partial shutdown occurred from February 14, 2026 to April 30, 2026, but is not considered the record for the longest full government shutdown due to the government being only partly-closed.

Shutdown Start and End Dates by President

Party in Control of Congress During Each Shutdown

Total Shutdown Days by President

Total shutdown days by President is a statistic that measures how many cumulative days each President since 1976 has overseen a closed or shut down government. Notably, funding gaps prior to 1980 are not considered true shutdowns, as they did not yet cause government closure. However, they are still notable and worth including in statistics.

Cumulative Shutdown Days During Each Presidency, 1976-2026

Number of Separate Shutdowns per President

Average Shutdown Length by President

Shutdowns Over Time

All Federal Funding Gaps by Year Since 1976, With Duration

Frequency of Shutdowns by Decade

Funding-Gap Days Before vs. After the 1980 Civiletti Opinion

Cause & Resolution

Government shutdowns can be caused by a variety of factors, including debates over spending, budget deficits, healthcare, immigration, and presidential policies. Below, we examine the causes of each major government shutdown, break down the cumulative length by cause type, and consider how often shutdowns occurred under party-unified or party-divided governments.  

Each Major Shutdown by Trigger Issue and How It Ended

Length by Cause Type

Unified vs. Divided Government Share

Economic & Federal Impact

Government shutdowns have extensive economic and federal impacts, particularly on government workers, essential services, and overall national GDP. Below, we break down how much each major shutdown cost, how many federal workers were furloughed, and what impacts this had on the U.S. GDP.

Estimated Cost and Federal Workers Furloughed per Major Shutdown

Cost per Day

GDP Impact Estimate by Shutdown

References

1. Past Government Shutdowns: Key Resources. (2025, September 30). Congressional Research Services. https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/R/PDF/R41759/R41759.40.pdf
2. Funding gaps and shutdowns in the federal government | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives. (n.d.). https://history.house.gov/Institution/Shutdown/Government-Shutdowns/
3. Wessel, D. (2026, April 30). What is a government shutdown? Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/what-is-a-government-shutdown-and-why-are-we-likely-to-have-another-one/
4. Government shutdowns in the United States | Law | Research Starters | EBSCO Research. (n.d.). EBSCO. https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/law/government-shutdowns-united-states
5. Quinn, M. (2025, November 13). A history of government shutdowns: The 15 times funding has lapsed since 1980. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/government-shutdown-history-congress/
6. Party Divisions of the House of Representatives, 1789 to present | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives. (n.d.). https://history.house.gov/Institution/Party-Divisions/Party-Divisions/
7. U.S. Senate: Party division. (2025, February 24). https://www.senate.gov/history/partydiv.htm
8. Brass, C., Fiorentino, D., Riccard, T., & Schwemle, B. (2026, January 15). Government Shutdowns and Executive Branch Operations: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). U.S. Congress. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47693
9. Budget, C. F. a. R. F. (2026, June 11). Appropriations watch: FY 2026-2026-06-11. Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. https://www.crfb.org/blogs/appropriations-watch-fy-2026
10. Budget, C. F. a. R. F. (2013, October 21). The (Ongoing) cost of the government shutdown-2013-10-21. Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. https://www.crfb.org/blogs/ongoing-cost-government-shutdown