Government shutdown is now longest in US history

President's dispute with the Democratic Party over building a Mexico border wall reached a record 22nd day on Saturday

Washington: US President Donald Trump has presided over the longest shutdown in US history that has resulted in the suspension of pay for 800,000 government employees. The partial shutdown, which on Saturday reached a record 22nd day, comes as a result of the President's dispute with the Democratic Party over building a Mexico border wall. Federal employees have been granted back-pay in the past after the government reopened following a shutdown.

Trump demanded 5.7 billion USD from the U.S. Congress this year for the wall project. As a result of the shutdown, workers such as, air traffic controllers, museum staff and FBI agents, did not receive their salaries on Friday. The government's partial shutdown overtook the 21-day stretch under President Bill Clinton in 1995-1996 at midnight Friday (0500 GMT Saturday).

Trump on Friday backed off a number of threats to end the strike by declaring a national emergency and attempting to secure the funds without the approval of the Congress. "I'm not going to do it so fast," he said at a White House meeting.

With the economy creating over 300,000 jobs in December, the most in 10 months, the President, who boasts of the strong labour market under his administration, could face high unemployment this month in the country. However, Trump, under numerous occasions suggested that he was close to getting the deal finalised.