India, Nov. 14 -- The recent US government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025 and finally ended on November 12, 2025, was the longest in history and indicates several prominent and intensifying trends in US politics such as the deepening political polarisation and hostility, the increasing use of fiscal brinkmanship as a political tool, and a growing struggle over the executive versus legislative balance of power.

The most striking trend is the extent to which partisan divisions have intensified, leading to an atmosphere of "bad blood" between the two major parties, the Democrats and the Republicans. Unlike past shutdowns, which often involved late-night bipartisan negotiations, the recent one was reportedly characterised by a near...