Federal Government Shutdown Enters Fourth Day as 800,000 Workers Furloughed

October 4, 2025 — The federal government remains shuttered for a fourth consecutive day after Congress failed to pass appropriations for the 2026 fiscal year, leaving hundreds of thousands of workers without paychecks and raising questions about potential ethics violations by government officials.

The Numbers Behind the Crisis

Since the shutdown began at 12:01 a.m. EDT on October 1, approximately 800,000 federal employees have been furloughed, while another 700,000 are required to work without pay. That’s 1.5 million federal workers — and their families — facing immediate financial uncertainty.

What’s Still Running, What’s Not

Essential services continue to operate, including:

• Medicare and Medicaid programs
• Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport screenings
• Public schools
• Amtrak rail service
• Social Security benefit payments (though service may be delayed)

However, critical health agencies face disruptions:

• National Institutes of Health (NIH) — partially suspended
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) — fully suspended operations

Political Stalemate Deepens

President Trump canceled a scheduled meeting with Senate Democratic leaders and instead convened an Oval Office session with both Democratic and Republican congressional leaders. No breakthrough has been announced.

Both chambers of Congress have failed to find common ground. Multiple Senate votes on competing Democratic and Republican funding plans have failed to advance. Making matters worse, House Speaker Mike Johnson announced an extended House recess, effectively delaying any legislative solution and postponing the swearing-in of a new Arizona representative.

The Senate is expected to reconvene next week.

Allegations of Political Manipulation Raise Legal Questions

In a troubling development, allegations have emerged that Department of Education staff out-of-office messages were altered to blame Democrats for the shutdown. If confirmed, such actions could constitute violations of the Hatch Act, which prohibits federal employees from engaging in political activity while on duty or using government resources for partisan purposes.

These allegations come as President Trump posted a satirical AI-generated video on social media targeting Democrats, further inflaming partisan tensions during the crisis.

What Happens Next

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) directed all federal agencies to implement shutdown procedures as of October 1. With the House in extended recess and the Senate not scheduled to return until next week, there is no clear timeline for resolution.

Federal workers face the prospect of missing paychecks, while Americans dependent on government services navigate reduced access to critical programs during the standoff.

This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as new information becomes available.