Government shutdowns are nothing new to American politics, with the government shutting down some 20 times since 1975 over funding disagreements. The duration of these shutdowns, however, has generally been increasing, with the last shutdown in December 2018 lasting 34 days. Adding to the uncertainty, United States President Donald Trump has threatened a mass layoff of federal workers to pressure Democrats to back moves to end the shutdown.

Join Adrian and Kevin as they discuss the implications of the ongoing government shutdown, how the two parties are tailoring their political messaging, and how this could impact government functions such as the conduct of US foreign policy.