WASHINGTON D.C. – The United States Senate voted on Monday, 10 November 2025, to approve a funding package aimed at ending the longest government shutdown in American history. The 60-40 vote, which saw a handful of Democrats join with Republicans, advances a bill that will now go to the House of Representatives for a vote expected as early as Wednesday, 12 November 2025, East Africa Time.

The 41-day shutdown, which began on 1 October 2025, surpassed the previous 34-day record from 2018-2019. For Kenya and the East Africa region, the end of the political stalemate carries significant weight. The United States is a critical development partner, and prolonged shutdowns threaten the disbursement of funds for essential services. Key initiatives like the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which supports HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment for millions, and programmes run by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) face uncertainty during such periods. A shutdown can also hinder diplomatic and trade dialogues, including potential negotiations for a new trade agreement as the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) approaches its expiration.

The legislative breakthrough in the Senate came after moderate Democrats agreed to a deal that funds the government through January 2026 but does not immediately address their demand to extend expiring health care subsidies—a core point of the political conflict. House Speaker Mike Johnson has urged lawmakers to return to Washington to pass the measure swiftly. In a sign of persistent party divisions, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries affirmed his support for Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, despite criticism from some progressives over the outcome.

Trump's Legal and Political Maneuvers

The shutdown resolution coincided with a series of significant legal and political actions by President Donald Trump's administration and his legal team. On Monday, the administration renewed its push at the Supreme Court to freeze full payments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food aid to approximately 42 million Americans. Lower courts had ordered the government to make the full payments despite the shutdown, but the administration has argued that federal courts should not interfere in the political branches' efforts to resolve the funding crisis.

Over the weekend, President Trump also issued pardons for several close allies, including his former lawyer Rudy Giuliani and former chief of staff Mark Meadows, for their roles in efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The pardons are largely symbolic as they apply only to federal crimes, and the individuals were not federally charged in relation to the election. They do not affect any potential or ongoing state-level charges.

In a separate matter, the president's lawyers on Monday asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a May 2023 civil verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll. The filing argues that the $5 million judgment was based on improper evidentiary rulings. This is part of a larger legal battle that includes a separate $83.3 million defamation verdict awarded to Carroll.

While the path to reopening the U.S. government is now clear, the intense political polarization and the array of high-stakes legal challenges surrounding the president continue to shape the political landscape in Washington, with far-reaching implications for both domestic and foreign policy.