How the government shutdown could disrupt daily life The government shutdown is underway — and it could disrupt your daily life. The big picture: Millions of people won’t get paid during the shutdown, and federal agencies may slow down, disrupting daily life. The first shutdown since 2019 could be unusually disruptive if President Trump and budget director Russ Vought use it to reshape the federal workforce. Generally, federal functions deemed “essential” — including health programs...