The feared 'shutdown', i.e. the closure of all non-essential activities of the federal administrative offices in the United States, took place at midnight Washington time (6 in Italy), following the vote in the Senate against the measure to finance the government budget. In a race against time, negotiations were attempted in the plenary which however did not lead to any agreement before the deadline set.
The White House, in the first reaction to the shutdown, points the finger at the Democrats. Spokeswoman Sarah Sanders underlined in a statement: "We will not negotiate the status of illegal citizens while (the Democrats) hold our citizens hostage to reckless requests". And he continues: "This is behavior by obstructionists, not by legislators." In fact, the Democrats had made the confirmation of the protections for the dreamers, the young immigrants brought to the United States as children by clandestine parents, as a condition for approval.
One year after his inauguration, Donald Trump is therefore "celebrating" the anniversary in the worst possible way. This hadn't happened since 2013, when it lasted 16 days and 850.000 civil servants were temporarily left without pay. In fact, the shutdown provides for the forced leave of public employees starting with the less essential ones such as those who work in the offices for issuing passports. The military, considered essential, remain in service during the shutdown but are not paid, even if engaged in war operations. MPs, on the other hand, continue to receive their salaries.
