Shutdowns are as American as apple pie − in the UK and elsewhere, they just aren’t baked into the process
- Written by Garret Martin, Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, Co-Director Transatlantic Policy Center, American University School of International Service

When it comes to shutdowns, the U.S. is very much an exception rather than the rule.
On Oct. 1, 2025, hundreds of thousands of federal employees were furloughed as the business of government ground to a...