Historical Government Shutdowns

Modeled on Wikipedia’s “shutdowns involving furloughs” table: chronological, newest first. When live APIs report an active lapse, it is listed first. The bar chart uses this same order (not longest-duration-first).

Duration comparison (same row order as below)

2026 (Jan – Feb)
4d
2026 (Feb – Apr)
76d
2025
43d
2018–19 (115th)
35d
2018–19 (116th)
35d
2018 (Jan)
3d
2013
16d
1995–96
21d
1995 (Nov)
6d
1990
3d
1986
1d
1984
1d
1981
4d
1980
1d
20+ days
Under 20 days
2026 (Jan – Feb)
Donald Trump (2nd term)
4 days

Short partial lapse while final appropriations were pending across chambers.

Agencies affected

Some

Congress

119th

Senate majority

Republican (53 – 45 – 2)

House majority

Republican (218 – 213)

Employees furloughed: UnknownCost to government: Unknown

Brief early-2026 funding gap.

Source: Wikipedia
2026 (Feb – Apr)
Donald Trump (2nd term)
76 days

DHS funding lapse; ICE and Border Patrol components continued per Wikipedia sourcing.

Agencies affected

DHS

Congress

119th

Senate majority

Republican (53 – 45 – 2)

House majority

Republican (217 – 214 – 1)

Employees furloughed: UnknownCost to government: Unknown

76-day partial lapse; ICE & CBP; described as ongoing in cited reporting through late April 2026.

Source: Wikipedia
2025
Donald Trump (2nd term)
43 days

Funding lapse after appropriations impasse between House, Senate, and White House.

Agencies affected

All

Congress

119th

Senate majority

Republican (53 – 45 – 2)

House majority

Republican (219 – 213)

Employees furloughed: 900,000Cost to government: $11 billion

Longest full shutdown in U.S. history at time of reporting.

Source: USAFacts
2018–19 (115th)
Donald Trump (1st term)
35 days

Dispute over border-wall funding in annual appropriations.

Agencies affected

Some

Congress

115th

Senate majority

Republican (50/51 – 47 – 2)

House majority

Republican (241 – 194)

Employees furloughed: 380,000Cost to government: $5 billion

Major transportation and federal-service disruptions.

Source: Wikipedia
2018–19 (116th)
Donald Trump (1st term)
35 days

Dispute over border-wall funding in annual appropriations.

Agencies affected

Some

Congress

116th

Senate majority

Republican (53 – 45 – 2)

House majority

Democratic (235 – 199)

Employees furloughed: 380,000Cost to government: $5 billion

Same calendar span as adjoining row; 116th Congress split control.

Source: Wikipedia
2018 (Jan)
Donald Trump (1st term)
3 days

Short-term appropriations dispute tied to immigration and DACA negotiations.

Agencies affected

All

Congress

115th

Senate majority

Republican (50/51 – 47 – 2)

House majority

Republican (241 – 194)

Employees furloughed: 692,900Cost to government: Unknown

Short shutdown with limited operational disruption.

Source: Wikipedia
2013
Barack Obama
16 days

Congressional impasse tied to Affordable Care Act funding/policy dispute.

Agencies affected

All

Congress

113th

Senate majority

Democratic (53 – 45 – 2)

House majority

Republican (234 – 201)

Employees furloughed: 800,000Cost to government: $2.1 billion

Broad closure of federal services and measurable GDP drag.

Source: Wikipedia
1995–96
Bill Clinton
21 days

Budget conflict over federal spending priorities and reductions.

Agencies affected

Some

Congress

104th

Senate majority

Republican (53 – 47)

House majority

Republican (232 – 202 – 1)

Employees furloughed: 284,000Cost to government: $400 million

Extended partial shutdown with large service interruptions.

Source: Wikipedia
1995 (Nov)
Bill Clinton
6 days

Initial funding-lapse standoff during the broader 1995-1996 budget conflict.

Agencies affected

Some

Congress

104th

Senate majority

Republican (53 – 47)

House majority

Republican (232 – 202 – 1)

Employees furloughed: 800,000Cost to government: $400 million

First leg of the 1995-1996 shutdown period.

Source: Wikipedia
1990
George H. W. Bush
3 days

Dispute over taxes and deficit-reduction package design.

Agencies affected

All

Congress

101st

Senate majority

Democratic (55 – 45)

House majority

Democratic (267 – 167 – 1)

Employees furloughed: 2,800Cost to government: $2.57 million

Brief lapse over Columbus Day weekend.

Source: Wikipedia
1986
Ronald Reagan
1 day

Brief appropriations lapse during omnibus budget negotiations.

Agencies affected

All

Congress

99th

Senate majority

Republican (53 – 47)

House majority

Democratic (253 – 181 – 1)

Employees furloughed: 500,000Cost to government: $62.2 million

Short one-day shutdown affecting federal operations.

Source: Wikipedia
1984
Ronald Reagan
1 day

Appropriations standoff over policy riders in spending legislation.

Agencies affected

Some

Congress

98th

Senate majority

Republican (55 – 45)

House majority

Democratic (269 – 165 – 1)

Employees furloughed: 500,000Cost to government: $65 million

Short partial shutdown with same-day resolution.

Source: Wikipedia
1981
Ronald Reagan
4 days

Veto and appropriations conflict on spending-cut levels.

Agencies affected

All (except Legislative Branch)

Congress

97th

Senate majority

Democratic (53 – 46 – 1)

House majority

Democratic (242 – 192 – 1)

Employees furloughed: 241,000Cost to government: $80–90 million

All agencies except Legislative Branch.

Source: Wikipedia
1980
Jimmy Carter
1 day

Congressional funding dispute affecting FTC operations.

Agencies affected

FTC

Congress

96th

Senate majority

Democratic (58 – 41 – 1)

House majority

Democratic (277 – 157 – 1)

Employees furloughed: 1,600Cost to government: $700,000

First modern shutdown tied to funding-lapse enforcement.

Source: Wikipedia

Static rows mirror Wikipedia’s furlough table fields in lib/historical-shutdowns.ts. Update when citations change; the live row drops automatically when APIs report normal funding.

Data: USAFacts / Wikipedia