The U.S. Congress is on the verge of a shutdown due to demands from former President Donald Trump, who has issued an ultimatum to Republicans.
They must approve a temporary government funding bill only if it includes an increase in the debt ceiling. Trump insists that the bill must include a hike in the debt limit, arguing that this is necessary to avoid a financial crisis. Otherwise, he threatens to block the bill, which would lead to a suspension of funding.
If an agreement is not reached within the next two days, the federal government risks halting its operations, which could have serious consequences for the functioning of the country. A shutdown could affect the funding of key federal agencies, including the Pentagon, the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as transportation and other critical infrastructure services.
This situation is causing serious concern among economists and politicians, as a prolonged shutdown could lead to economic losses, disruption of government services and a deterioration in social stability. In particular, there are already concerns that a shutdown of health agencies could affect funding for medical programs like Medicaid and Medicare, impacting millions of Americans.
The situation is further complicated by political divisions among different factions in Congress, which increase uncertainty. In turn, republicans are divided on how to proceed in this situation, which exacerbates the crisis even further.
