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Donald Trump’s Shutdown America: The King Who Broke His Own Empire

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Dr. Salim Khan

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New Delhi | Friday | 31 October 2025

Donald Trump may have missed out on the Nobel Peace Prize, but if there were ever an award for boastfulness, he would win it hands down. The former U.S. President never let a day pass without grabbing headlines — for a wild claim, a tweetstorm, or a blunt insult hurled at rivals and allies alike. From India to Iran, Ukraine to China, few nations escaped his verbal bombardments. Yet, when his own country plunged into crisis, the man of constant talk fell silent.

The United States is now facing its longest government shutdown in history — stretching beyond 27 days — throwing federal workers and ordinary Americans into deep uncertainty. In the world’s richest nation, about 730,000 federal employees are working without pay, while another 670,000 have been sent home on unpaid leave. Many are turning to food banks and charities to feed their families. People who once lived comfortably are now selling their belongings or taking up temporary jobs just to survive.

Trump’s own political maneuvering has led to this self-inflicted paralysis. In his zeal to restrict immigrants and project strength, he ended up closing the doors of livelihood for millions — including his own citizens. The shutdown has united supporters and critics in shared suffering.

A Superpower on Rations

Images from Washington, D.C. and nearby states are surreal: federal employees queuing up for ration kits at charities such as United Community and Capital Area Food Bank. With inflation rising and uncertainty deepening, the once-mighty symbol of economic might looks suddenly fragile. The world’s most interconnected economy is feeling the ripples of this deadlock, which began on October 1 when Congress failed to pass the federal budget.

Article at a Glance
Former U.S. President Donald Trump, known for his boastful nature and controversial remarks, now faces a crisis of his own making — America’s longest government shutdown. Triggered by his political rigidity and immigration stance, the shutdown has left nearly 1.4 million federal employees without pay, forcing many to rely on food banks and charities.
The paralysis has disrupted sectors from aviation to defense, with soldiers even depending on private donations. Despite repeated shutdowns in U.S. history, this one exposes deeper political dysfunction. Both Republicans and Democrats remain locked in prideful conflict, refusing compromise while ordinary citizens suffer.
National parks decay, public workers go unpaid, and the “world’s richest democracy” survives on handouts. Trump, obsessed with projecting toughness, has divided his nation and damaged its global standing. In trying to prove strength, he has instead revealed a broken democracy and, ultimately, his own political downfall.

The consequences are cascading. On Sunday alone, more than 8,000 flights were delayed due to staff shortages. Thirteen thousand air traffic controllers and fifty thousand security officers continue working without pay. The U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Sean Duffy, has warned that once employees run out of savings, conditions will deteriorate further. Many have already taken up second jobs; others are planning to quit altogether.

The crisis has begun spilling into the defense sector — the pride of American might. Treasury Secretary Scott Bassett cautioned that the Pentagon may soon lack funds to pay soldiers if the shutdown persists beyond mid-November. For now, $130 million in private donations are being used to cover military salaries. “It’s shameful,” Bassett admitted, “that those who risk their lives for the nation aren’t getting paid.”

A Broken Democracy

Ironically, a bill to ensure regular payment to the military failed in the Senate — blocked by partisan squabbling between Democrats and Republicans. This deadlock is not new. The U.S. has witnessed 14 shutdowns since 1981, most lasting a day or two. But this 15th one, like the 2018–19 shutdown that cost the economy $3 billion, threatens to drag on. A temporary funding extension proposed by Senate Republicans fell short of the required 60 votes. With only 55 Republican senators, Trump’s team needed cooperation from Democrats — which it refused to seek.

The Democrats, on their part, saw a bargaining opportunity. They demanded protection for healthcare subsidies and social programs for low-income families — measures Trump had slashed. But pride stood in the way. Trump and his party treated compromise as surrender. The result: political paralysis and national humiliation.

There are now fears that Trump may use the crisis to justify closing certain departments altogether, permanently eliminating thousands of jobs. No longer seeking re-election, he seems unrestrained — willing to wreck institutions to preserve his image of toughness.

Ordinary Americans Pay the Price

The government’s classification of “essential” and “non-essential” workers has exposed its skewed priorities. Park maintenance staff and sanitation workers are deemed expendable, allowing filth to pile up in national parks. But tax collectors remain “essential,” ensuring that government revenue — and politicians’ salaries — continue uninterrupted. Postal workers, security guards, and healthcare staff must still report to duty, but their paychecks are frozen until the shutdown ends.

Such heartlessness from an elected leader recalls the arrogance of autocrats. Trump once promised to “drain the swamp.” Instead, he has drowned his own people in it. The tug-of-war between two selfish political parties — one led by pride, the other by opportunism — has left hundreds of thousands of families in despair.

If Indian leaders like Naidu or Nitish Kumar ever locked horns in such a reckless manner, India too could face a similar administrative collapse. But America’s tragedy is magnified by its status as the world’s richest democracy — a nation now reduced to running on charity handouts.

The President Who Forgot His Own Ruin

For Trump, who built his career on television bravado and public showmanship, this shutdown may be the final act of self-destruction. He has wrecked alliances abroad, divided his own nation at home, and now presides over an economy where even government servants queue for free groceries. The man who prided himself on “winning” has turned victory itself into a farce.

Perhaps the poet Majaz captured it best:

“He wrecked everyone’s world, but forgot his own ruin;

Tore everyone’s collar, but forgot his own garment.”

In the end, Donald Trump didn’t just damage others — he dismantled the very edifice that bore his name: the United States of America. ( A scientist turned media person, Dr Salim Khan is a political analyst and commentator on public policy issues. He is the editor of Mumbai-based media channel NVN )

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