What is US government shutdown and how could it affect you despite not living there

The US government has officially shut down as of this morning but what does it mean for America and the rest of the world?

Donald Trump's second tenure in the Oval Office certainly hasn't been boring and the shutdown is only the latest in a long list of happenings over the past nine months - with the US president also bombing Iran, organising peace talks with Vladimir Putin and deporting thousands of 'illegal aliens' to one of the world's worst prisons.

Despite Trump seemingly the free rein to do as he pleases over in Washington, emphasised by him collecting a medal from the Club World Cup final earlier in the summer, he has faced stern opposition from the Democrats on one particular issue, which has led to today's (1 October) government shutdown.

There were three shutdowns during Donald Trump's first term as president (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Why is the US government shutting down?

The government shutting down in the US is more common than you might think and it might not surprise you to hear that it happened three times during Trump's first presidency, with the second occasion spanning 35 days and costing the country an estimated $3 billion.

On this occasion, the Republicans and Democrats simply cannot agree on a spending bill, as Trump has spent much of his second term drastically reducing the size of the national government.

The Democrats are also pushing back in the Senate as they refuse to agree on a bill which they claim will make it harder for Americans to afford healthcare, while they also oppose spending cuts to the Centres for Disease Control (CDC) and National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Federal workers won't be paid while the shutdown continues (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

What does the shutdown mean?

After no deal was agreed before 00:01am this morning, the first day of shutdown began, although fortunately not everything stops, with vital services such as air traffic control, medical care and law enforcement all expected to continue.

While disruption has been temporary in the past, Trump has threatened to fire rather than furlough workers on this occasion, with as many as four million federal workers likely to be without pay while the shutdown is ongoing.

During this time, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) can't confirm if food such as eggs, meat and milk is safe to consume, with all other federal agencies, including troops and national park workers, are either expected to work without pay, or not work at all.

How could the US government shutdown affect other countries?

It's not just those living there that will be affected by this shutdown, as if you were planning to visit the US on holiday, things might not be all that easy.

The US Travel Association warned ahead of a potential shutdown in 2023 that it could cost the tourism industry as much as $140 million (£104 million) a day.

Republicans and Democrats couldn't agree in the Senate (MEHMET ESER/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

National parks, which include tourism hotspots such as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and Yellowstone, could either close or remain open and unstaffed.

Flights will also prove tricky, with long security queues likely and delays also expected if air traffic controllers exercise their right to stay at home rather than working for free.

So, if you're thinking of booking a visit to the States, it might be best to wait until the shutdown is sorted but given the last one under Trump was the longest in history, there's no telling how long this one could be.

Another vote in the Senate is expected today but it looks likely to produce the same result.