Risk of government shutdown in the US! Only hours remain...

The US House of Representatives has rejected a temporary budget bill supported by President-elect Donald Trump.

The temporary budget bill was rejected in a vote held in the US House of Representatives in the evening, with 235 members voting "no" against 174 "yes" votes.

SOME REPUBLICANS ALSO VOTED NO

The bill, which aimed to provide funding for the government until March and suspend the debt ceiling for 2 years, was not accepted by Democrats or some Republicans.

In the vote, 78 Republican representatives joined the Democrats in voting "no" on the bill.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, stated that he believes they can find a path forward regarding the temporary budget bill before midnight on Friday.

Previously, Democrats and Republicans had reached a consensus on the temporary budget, but that agreement was disrupted on Wednesday by comments from Trump, who spoke out against it.

TRUMP'S OPPOSITION INCREASED THE LIKELIHOOD OF A GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

The US Congress had approved the first temporary budget bill in September to prevent a government shutdown due to lack of funding for the 2025 fiscal year, which began on October 1, 2024.

The temporary budget, which was signed into law by US President Joe Biden, was intended to provide funding for the government until December 20.

With only days left until that date, Republicans and Democrats had agreed on a budget bill to provide funding for the government until March 14.

However, Trump's opposition jeopardized the bill's passage through the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where he holds significant influence, increasing the risk of a government shutdown due to lack of funding.

WHAT DOES A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN MEAN?

According to American law, if Congress cannot approve the budget for the entire fiscal year—which begins on October 1 and ends on September 30—on time, the period until it is approved must be covered by temporary budgets.

During periods when the budget cannot be approved, the federal government loses its spending authority and is forced to suspend all activities except for essential services.

During this process, public employees in non-essential roles are placed on mandatory leave, while public employees such as the US military, intelligence agencies, doctors and nurses in public hospitals, and security personnel at airports and prisons continue their duties. These employees, who fall into the "essential personnel" category, generally do not receive their salaries during shutdown periods until Congress passes a new budget.