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Shutdowns have become a recurring feature of US politics – however this one feels especially difficult to resolve because of shifting political forces and bad blood between both major parties.

Certain federal operations are temporarily suspended, and about 750,000 employees likely to be placed on furlough without pay since both political parties remain unable to reach consensus on a spending bill.

Legislative attempts to resolve the deadlock have repeatedly failed, and it is hard to see a clear resolution path in this instance because both parties – as well as the President – can see some merit in maintaining their positions.

Here are the four ways that make this shutdown distinct in 2025.

1. For Democrats, the focus is on Trump – not just healthcare

Democratic supporters have insisted over recent periods that their party adopt stronger opposition against the current presidency. Currently Democratic leaders has a chance to demonstrate their responsiveness.

Earlier this year, the Senate's top Democrat was fiercely criticised for helping pass GOP budget legislation and averting a shutdown in the spring. Now he's holding firm.

This presents an opportunity for Democrats to show they can take back some control from a presidency pursuing its agenda assertively with determined action.

Refusing to back the GOP budget proposal carries electoral dangers that the wider public will grow frustrated with prolonged negotiations and impacts accumulate.

Democratic representatives are using the shutdown fight to highlight concerns about expiring health insurance subsidies together with Republican-approved federal health program reductions for the poor, which are both unpopular.

Additionally, they're attempting to restrict the President's use of presidential authority to cancel or delay funding authorized legislatively, a practice demonstrated in international assistance and other programmes.

2. For Republicans, it's an opportunity

The President and one of his key officials have openly indicated their perspective that they perceive an opening to advance further reductions to the federal workforce that have featured in the Republican's second presidency so far.

The nation's leader personally stated recently that the government closure had afforded him an "unprecedented opportunity", adding he intended to cut "opposition-supported departments".

Administration officials stated they would face the "unenviable task" of mass lay-offs to maintain critical federal operations should the impasse persist. The Press Secretary said this was just "budgetary responsibility".

The scope of the potential lay-offs remains unclear, though administration officials have been consulting with the Office of Management and Budget, or OMB, under the leadership of the administration's budget director.

The budget director has already announced the halting of government financial support for regions governed by the opposition party, such as NYC and Illinois' largest city.

3. There's little trust between both parties

While previous shutdowns typically involved extended negotiations between the two parties aimed at restoring federal operations, there appears to be little of the same spirit of collaboration this time.

Conversely, animosity prevails. The bad blood continued over the weekend, with Republicans and Democrats blaming each other regarding the deadlock's origin.

The legislative leader from the majority party, charged opposition members of not being serious toward resolution, and maintaining positions over a deal "to get political cover".

Meanwhile, the opposition's chief levelled the same accusation at the other side, saying that a Republican promise to discuss healthcare subsidies once the government reopens cannot be trusted.

The administration leader personally has inflamed the situation through sharing a computer-created controversial depiction featuring the opposition leader along with another senior in the House, in which the legislator appears wearing a large Mexican-style sombrero and a moustache.

The representative and other Democrats denounced this as discriminatory, which was denied by the administration's second-in-command.

4. The US economy faces vulnerability

Experts project approximately two-fifths of the federal workforce – more than 800,000 people – to be put on unpaid leave due to the government closure.

That will depress spending – with broader economic consequences, including halted environmental approvals, delayed intellectual property processing, interrupted vendor payments and other kinds of federal operations tied to business comes to a halt.

A shutdown also injects fresh instability into an economy already being roiled by changes ranging from trade measures, earlier cuts to government spending, immigration raids and technological advancements.

Economic forecasters project that it could shave approximately 0.2% from national economic expansion weekly during the closure.

However, economic activity generally rebounds most of that lost activity following resolution, as it would after disruption after major environmental events.

This might explain partially why financial markets have shown limited reaction to the ongoing impasse.

On the other hand, analysts say should the President carries out proposed significant workforce reductions, the damage could be extended in duration.