The US government has officially shut down for the first time since 2019, after bitter partisan gridlock left Washington unable to pass a funding deal. Hundreds of thousands of “non-essential” federal workers now face the usual furloughs, but an added twist this time is that President Donald Trump has threatened to use the shutdown as an excuse to permanently fire many federal employees. Here is a look at how many workers of the 2 million civilian federal workers are in jeopardy until the government reopens.
Graphic Truth
Three numbers, one story: the US government shutdown
Eileen Zhang
By Zac Weisz,
Zac Weisz
Zac reports on global affairs, covering everything from battles between judicial branches and political leaders, to conflicts in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. With the Trump administration keen to alter the world order, though, there’s a heavy emphasis right now on US politics – an area with which he is intimately familiar. Prior to joining GZERO, Zac was a senior national politics correspondent at National Journal, where he covered the 2024 presidential election from its inception to the dramatic finish, as well as major congressional actions during the Biden administration. Prior to journalism, Zac worked as an economic analyst for Oxford Economics, calculating the impact of various tax policies, and of Britain’s exit from the European Union. Born in London, he currently resides in New York City, where you can find him playing football (the original version) or watching it on television while attempting to cook up a storm.
Riley Callanan
Riley is a writer and reporter for GZERO. When she isn’t writing about global politics, you can find her making GZERO’s crossword puzzles, conducting research on American politics, or persisting in her lifelong quest to learn French. Riley spends her time outside of work grilling, dancing, and wearing many hats (both literally and figuratively).
Eileen Zhang
