The African Conference of Commandants is an annual forum that convenes Commandants of African Command and Staff Colleges to advance the education, training, and professional development of military officers. The conference also promotes cooperation, harmonisation, and interoperability among African military institutions.
Organised by the Rwanda Defence Force (RDF), the event will serve as a platform to strengthen continental collaboration in military training, strategic thinking, and research. Participants will focus on leveraging digital technologies to address emerging regional and global security challenges, while exploring joint resolutions and frameworks to enhance military education across Africa.
The conference will gather Commandants and senior representatives from African Command and Staff Colleges, the African Union Peace & Security Council, defence experts, strategic partners, and regional security practitioners.
This year, the conference will place particular emphasis on bridging the digital divide in military training, while continuing to strengthen cooperation, standardisation, and regional security efforts across African defence forces.
Rwanda’s hosting of the conference underscores the RDF’s commitment to advancing continental security cooperation and its leadership in defence education.
The 18th edition of the conference was held in Tripoli, Libya, from 3 to 5 November 2024.
In a vote during Tesla’s annual general meeting, roughly 75% of shareholders backed the proposal. Both Elon Musk, who holds around 13% of Tesla’s shares, and his brother Kimbal Musk, a board member, participated in the vote that signals strong confidence in his leadership despite rising competition and market headwinds.
The board argued that retaining Musk’s leadership is critical to Tesla’s long-term success. Some large institutional investors, including Norway’s sovereign wealth fund and CalPERS (California Public Employees’ Retirement System), opposed the deal, citing its sheer size. Still, the majority of shareholders viewed the package as an incentive structure, not a handout.
{{The trillion-dollar challenge
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Unlike conventional executive salaries, Musk’s compensation will come entirely in the form of stock options, divided into 12 tranches that vest only if Tesla achieves a series of ambitious financial and operational milestones.
To unlock the full $1 trillion payout, the automotive and clean energy company must meet a series of ambitious performance milestones. The company’s market valuation must climb from its current level of about $1.54 trillion to an unprecedented $8.5 trillion, with stock option vesting beginning once it reaches $2 trillion.
Over the next decade, Tesla is also expected to deliver 20 million vehicles cumulatively, more than twice the company’s total production since its founding. In addition, Musk must lead the successful deployment of 1 million robotaxis and another 1 million humanoid robots, known as Optimus, into commercial operation.
The last condition requires Tesla to generate $400 billion in core profits over the period, one of the most ambitious profitability targets ever set for a publicly traded company.
If Tesla meets all conditions, Musk’s total stake in the company could rise to roughly 25%, further solidifying his control and making him the world’s first dollar trillionaire.
{{“A whole new book” for Tesla
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Celebrating the shareholder approval at Tesla’s headquarters in Austin, Musk described the decision as a turning point for the company.
“What we’re about to embark upon is not merely a new chapter of the future of Tesla, but a whole new book,” Musk said, before taking to the stage with a short dance beside Tesla’s humanoid robots, to cheers from the audience.
{{Why the vote matters
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The $1 trillion plan underscores a vote of confidence in Musk’s ability to drive Tesla into its next phase of growth. Despite a recent 3.8% drop in Tesla’s stock price to $444.26 per share, investors remain optimistic.
Tesla’s long-term strategy hinges on more than selling cars. Musk’s roadmap includes scaling global energy storage, expanding solar infrastructure, and integrating advanced AI systems, all of which could dramatically raise Tesla’s valuation if successful.
Still, the path ahead is steep. Achieving an $8.5 trillion market capitalisation would require Tesla to grow more than fivefold, surpassing the current valuations of Apple, Microsoft, and Saudi Aramco combined.
This is not Musk’s first eye-popping pay plan. His 2018 compensation package, worth up to $56 billion, drew widespread scrutiny and legal challenges, though Musk ultimately met many of its targets by turning Tesla into the world’s most valuable automaker.
The truce aims to “address the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the war and enhance the protection of civilians,” RSF spokesperson Al-Fateh Qurashi said in a statement.
“We look forward to implementing the agreement and immediately beginning discussions on arrangements for a cessation of hostilities,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Sudanese army announced that it would press on with fighting against the RSF following a meeting of the Security and Defense Council to discuss a U.S. proposal for a humanitarian truce.
According to leaked details, the proposal envisions a three-month humanitarian truce to allow aid access, followed by a nine-month political process aimed at achieving a comprehensive settlement and a permanent ceasefire.
The conflict between Sudan’s army and the RSF has raged since April 2023, killing thousands of people and displacing millions of others across Sudan and beyond.
According to Thapelo Tsheole, Chief Executive Officer of the Capital Market Authority (CMA), the country is in the middle of a regulatory and structural overhaul aimed at positioning Rwanda as a credible, regional financial hub.
Speaking on The Long Form podcast, Tsheole opened up about his personal journey and explained how the Capital Market Authority of Rwanda is introducing new regulatory frameworks to unlock opportunities for both investors and companies.
{{Rising savings culture and Frw 60 billion in unit trusts}}
At the heart of Rwanda’s retail-investment growth is the rise of unit trusts, pooled vehicles that allow individuals to invest small amounts collectively.
The two main players, Rwanda National Investment Trust (RNIT) and BK Capital’s Unit Trust, have together amassed over Frw 60 billion in managed assets, growing by more than 30 percent in the past year alone.
Tsheole said unit trusts have helped ordinary Rwandans access the capital market more easily. He noted that such products are regulated and “a safe place to put money.” During the discussion, it was highlighted that unit trusts currently offer annual returns of around 10–12 percent.
{{From land to listed assets
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Tsheole emphasised the need for citizens and businesses to rethink where they place their money.
“Land is good,” he said, “but it’s illiquid. Selling it takes time, while government bonds or listed shares can be sold almost instantly.”
CMA’s outreach programmes, conducted in partnership with the Private Sector Federation, now target small and medium-sized enterprises to consider listing or issuing corporate bonds.
CMA runs a nationwide campaign to educate investors on portfolio diversification, moving from “saving to true wealth creation.”
{{Toward digital and regional integration
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Rwanda’s capital market, still in early stages compared to its East African peers, is preparing for automation. The Rwanda Stock Exchange has begun testing a new trading system that will allow faster, online transactions and remote participation, including from the Rwandan diaspora.
Tsheole said Rwanda’s capital market should have “long automated as a basic principle,” noting that digitisation is key to improving access, especially for investors in the diaspora.
At the same time, Rwanda is part of an African Development Bank–backed project to interlink regional exchanges, enabling investors in Nairobi, Kampala, or Kigali to trade across borders seamlessly.
{{A foundation for sustainable growth
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Since he assumed his role in June 2024, Tsheole has doubled CMA workforce, strengthened partnerships with institutions such as the Chartered Institute of Securities (UK), and initiated specialised training abroad for Rwandan staff. Two employees are currently on nine-month fellowships in the United States and France, while others are being trained locally through a new partnership with the Chartered Institute.
His vision, he said, is clear: “There’s no way Rwanda can sustain economic growth for a long time without a developed capital market. It is the cornerstone of every modern economy.”
{{From Mochudi to Kigali
}}
Raised in the rural village of Mochudi in south-eastern Botswana, Tsheole’s journey to leading one of Africa’s youngest capital-market regulators is rooted in humble beginnings and a deep belief in education as a tool for transformation.
“I come from a poor family. My parents were not in formal employment, and when you come from such humble beginnings, you always have an urge in yourself to succeed, to work hard,” he recalled.
“Education sort of worked for me… I was one of the students who got relatively very high marks, and the encouragement from teachers and the admiration from other students propelled me to keep on pushing.”
That persistence eventually led him into finance. After joining the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE), he rose through the ranks to become Chief Executive Officer in 2016. Under his leadership, the exchange achieved record profitability, higher listings, and greater investor participation. In 2022, he also served as President of the African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA).
Having reached the peak of his success in Botswana, Tsheole felt it was time for a new challenge. “I just felt the best dancer should know when to leave the floor,” he said. “I had always wanted to work outside the country to have that experience.”
When Rwanda approached him in 2023, he was drawn by what he called “the Rwanda story”, a nation rebuilding with discipline and vision.
“It’s such phenomenal work that has been done, and you can see a lot of growth potential. Yes, the market is relatively small compared to a lot of other African countries, but in terms of potential and growth, it’s there.”
{{Modernising the rulebook
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When he assumed office in Kigali, he found the capital market’s legal foundation “outdated and overtaken by events.” In response, CMA launched a comprehensive reform agenda that includes updates to the Capital Market Law, Central Securities Depository (CSD) Law, Collective Investment Schemes Regulations, and Virtual Assets Framework.
“You can’t grow the market without proper rules and regulations and laws,” Tsheole said, noting that Rwanda still needed to strengthen its regulatory foundation to support growth.
Among the most urgent priorities is the Virtual Assets Law, expected to be enacted before the end of the year. It will allow Rwanda to regulate cryptocurrencies and digital assets, helping the country avoid being “grey-listed” for financial-compliance risks.
As reforms take hold and more Rwandans invest through unit trusts and bonds, the capital market is steadily moving from the margins of finance to the centre of Rwanda’s growth strategy.
The delegation included Paula White-Cain, Senior Advisor at the White House Faith Office; Jennifer Korn Sporment, also known as Jenny Korn, Assistant to the President of the United States and Faith Director at the White House Faith Office; Jonathan Cain; Bradley Knight; Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams; Rosa Whitaker Duncan-Williams; Joel Duncan-Williams; and Chekinah Olivier.
During the evening, President Kagame and the First Lady held discussions with the visiting faith leaders on shared values of faith, peace, and leadership, and exchanged views on regional and global issues.
The officials are part of the White House Faith Office, established by President Trump in 2025 to empower faith-based organisations, strengthen communities, and protect religious freedom.
The office operates under the Domestic Policy Council within the Executive Office of the President, and coordinates with federal agencies through designated faith liaisons, as well as with organizations that engage with faith communities across the United States.
Thursday’s meeting was also attended by Dr. Jean Damascène Bizimana, Minister of National Unity and Civic Engagement, and Nelly Mukazayire, Minister of Sports.
The factory, A-ZF Global Trading, located in the Masoro Industrial Zone in Gasabo District, currently has a production capacity of 100,000 cups per day, with plans to expand to 500,000 cups daily within the next two years.
Starting with 20 employees, the factory expects to grow its workforce to 300 in the same period, supporting the government’s goal of creating 1.25 million jobs in five years.
“This is the first factory of its kind in Rwanda,” said Ismael Ndayisenga, Managing Director of A-ZF Global Trading. “These products were imported mainly from China and Dubai. We aim to offer Rwandans faster access, better prices, and high quality.”
The cups are made from biodegradable paper, including both the cup and lid, to support the country’s efforts to reduce plastic use and protect the environment. Customers can also request custom branding, such as company logos or event designs.
Ndayisenga said the company plans to expand its market to neighbouring countries and diversify into other packaging materials, such as cartons and wrapping paper, to further reduce imports.
Under the National Strategy for Transformation II (NST2), Rwanda aims to double private investment from $2.2 billion to $4.6 billion by 2029, with manufacturing expected to play a major role.
Hugues Kagame, a technical advisor at the Ministry of Trade and Industry, supporting the implementation of Rwanda’s Entrepreneurship Development Policy (EDP), said the government is supporting industrial growth through incentives such as tax relief and reduced production costs, to make local products more competitive internationally.
He noted that A-ZF Global Trading contributes to the Made in Rwanda initiative by producing items that were previously imported, helping to raise industrial output by 10% in the coming years.
Rwanda’s industrial sector has tripled in output since 2017, rising from Frw 591 billion to Frw 1.68 trillion by early 2025. The number of people employed in manufacturing has also increased from 180,000 in 2017 to 259,000 in 2024, reflecting continued growth in the sector.
These illnesses have been treated for decades at Ndera Neuropsychiatric Hospital, which has been providing mental health services in Rwanda for nearly 57 years. However, the facility is currently operating at 116% of capacity, as the number of patients continues to exceed its capacity.
Data indicates that in 2024/2025, the hospital received 119,859 patients, a 17.7% increase from the previous year.
In an interview with IGIHE, Dr. Arthur Rukundo, who has worked at CARAES Ndera Hospital for 20 years, discussed the factors driving this trend, the most affected groups, and what can be done to reduce the growing burden.
He explained that the hospital treats both neurological disorders and mental illnesses, and clarified that not everyone who goes to Ndera is mentally ill in the way many people assume.
“Someone might come to Ndera because they’ve suffered paralysis in an arm. But when people hear someone has gone to Ndera, they automatically think it’s a psychiatric case. Not everyone who seeks care at Ndera has a mental disorder,” he said.
In 2024/2025, Ndera received 66,335 psychiatric cases and 53,524 neurological cases.
{{Most common mental disorders
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The most common condition treated was epilepsy, which accounted for 36,097 patients (29.08%) of all admissions. The second most prevalent was schizophrenia, a severe mental disorder often associated with psychosis. The hospital treated 24,991 schizophrenia patients, making up 20.14% of all cases.
Another frequent condition is Acute and Transient Psychotic Disorder (ATPD), a short-term psychotic episode that can be triggered by stress, trauma, or drug use. It usually resolves faster than other psychiatric illnesses and is sometimes locally described as “nervous breakdown” or “overstress.”
Ndera Hospital operates through several branches across the country. Its main facility, CARAES Ndera, located in Gasabo District, serves as the primary treatment centre and receives the largest number of patients, about 67%, equivalent to more than 68,000 people in the 2023/2024 fiscal year.
The CARAES Butare branch in the Southern Province accommodates around 21% of patients, while the Icyizere Psychotherapeutic Centre in Kicukiro District accounts for the remaining 12%.
Men are more affected
Dr. Rukundo noted that men make up the majority of patients, accounting for 54%, while women represent 46%. Young people are the most affected demographic overall.
“Young men represent the largest group of patients we treat. Most of them come due to severe depression often triggered by drug abuse,” he said.
He explained that while sadness is a normal emotion, prolonged depression caused by factors such as grief or loss requires medical intervention.
“When sadness persists and begins to affect one’s ability to work or function, that person needs to see a doctor. Many of those cases are treated in our psychiatry department,” he added.
{{Acute psychosis on the rise
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Acute psychosis is also among the leading conditions treated at Ndera. It often affects individuals who have gone through extreme stress or trauma, leading to abnormal brain function.
The condition manifests through symptoms such as talking to oneself, seeing or hearing things that others cannot, or acting out of fear and confusion.
“You’ll find someone running away from things they believe they see. They can’t stay still; some lock themselves in their houses or say they’ve been hearing threatening voices for weeks. They often stop taking care of themselves,” Dr. Rukundo said.
He added that cannabis use is another common cause of psychotic episodes.
“When someone smokes marijuana, the active chemical interacts with brain hormones, especially dopamine, causing overstimulation. This can make the person hear voices or see things that don’t exist, and their behaviour becomes erratic,” he explained.
{{Some Patients have stayed at the hospital for over 30 years
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At Ndera Hospital, 36 patients remain with no families to return to. Among them is one man who has lived at the facility for more than three decades, having originally come from Burundi. Over the years, all attempts to trace his relatives have failed, and he has grown old within the hospital’s care.
The hospital provides both outpatient and inpatient services. For patients with severe mental health conditions, treatment may last from a month to nearly two months. However, during that time, some families abandon their relatives, leaving them permanently under the hospital’s responsibility.
According to Dr. Rukundo, most patients arrive at Ndera either through referrals by security agencies or are brought in by their families. Yet, he notes that stigma and denial surrounding mental illness remain deeply entrenched in society.
“Even today, many people have not yet accepted what it means to have a loved one with a mental illness,” he said. “Some bring a patient here and then disappear, never returning to check on them. There is still stigma, both toward the patients and their families. That’s why many of the people you see here have been here for years. Some were already here when I first arrived.”
Because of its long-standing reputation as a national referral and teaching hospital, Ndera also receives patients from neighbouring countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, and Nigeria, among others.
{{Mental health care starts before birth
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Dr. Rukundo emphasised that mental health prevention must begin as early as pregnancy. He explained that one of the main drivers behind the rising number of mental health disorders is poor parenting, as many parents spend long hours working and have limited time to nurture emotional connections with their children. The rapid growth of technology, particularly unregulated exposure to social media, has further compounded the problem.
According to World Health Organisation (WHO) data, one in every twenty children aged 10 to 19 exhibits signs of mental health problems linked to excessive or inappropriate social media use.
“When a 12-year-old watches movies intended for adults, it harms rather than builds their mental development,” Dr. Rukundo said. “We are seeing more children struggling emotionally because they are exposed to content that is not appropriate for their age.”
He explained that a child’s emotional and mental well-being begins developing in the womb.
“A child starts to experience emotions and movement before birth. Their mental health is influenced by the bond they share with their mother during pregnancy. That’s why sometimes a baby may be born appearing emotionally unresponsive,” he said.
Such early developmental challenges can manifest as autism or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), often seen in children who avoid eye contact or have difficulty forming emotional connections.
Dr. Rukundo also raised concerns about parents who delegate childcare to domestic workers without understanding their background or emotional well-being.
“Sometimes, when a child cries, the caregiver just gives them a phone to quiet them. We’ve had cases of children as young as three or five being abused by caregivers. When you leave your child with someone, do you know their upbringing or emotional stability? How would they react if the child angers them? We must also care about the mental state of those who look after our children,” he cautioned.
{{One in five Rwandans has experienced a mental health problem
}}
National statistics released in August 2025 show that one in five Rwandans has experienced a mental health problem at some point in their life. The most common conditions include depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and substance use disorders.
Depression affects 11.9% of the population, anxiety disorders 8.1%, and PTSD 3.6%. Severe mental illnesses such as psychosis are found in 1.3%, while antisocial behaviour disorders affect 0.8%, and suicidal tendencies are reported among 0.5% of Rwandans.
“War is one of the biggest contributors to depression,” Dr. Rukundo noted. “We went through the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, and global crises, conflict, and the fast pace of life continue to fuel these numbers. The rates here are above 10%, and we must address this through prevention because most of these illnesses can be avoided.”
He added that personality disorders are also becoming more prevalent, often linked to poor emotional upbringing and weak moral foundations during childhood.
“When that foundation is missing, people grow up without emotional resilience. They struggle to handle life’s challenges and easily fall into depression. Sometimes a breakup or emotional loss leads someone into despair, even suicide, which is often misjudged as weakness,” he said.
“When a young man loses a relationship and takes his own life, it’s not because he’s a coward. It’s because he invested all his emotional energy in that one person. When they’re gone, he feels life has lost meaning.”
{{Too few specialists
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Despite the growing demand for mental health care, Rwanda continues to face a severe shortage of specialists. Currently, there are only 15 psychiatrists serving a population of 15 million.
This shortfall means that many patients do not receive the attention they need. Ideally, a psychiatrist should spend 50 minutes to one hour per patient, handling about nine patients per day or roughly 30 per week. However, at Ndera, the caseload per doctor is far higher, placing heavy strain on both the health system and its professionals.
On Tuesday, General Kahariri and his delegation visited the Ministry of Defence and Rwanda Defence Force (MOD/RDF) Headquarters, where they were received by the Chief of Defence Staff of the RDF, General MK Mubarak. He also paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Defence, Honourable Juvenal Marizamunda.
During the visit, the two sides held bilateral discussions to review the existing cooperation between Rwanda and Kenya, explore new areas of collaboration, and exchange views on regional defence and security matters.
Speaking to the media, General Kahariri highlighted that his visit seeks to reaffirm and deepen the longstanding friendship between the two nations and their respective defence institutions.
“Our coming here is an affirmation of the strong relationship between our two countries and our defence forces, right from the time Rwanda started the efforts to rebuild its defence forces in the aftermath of the genocide,” he said.
“This visit is about extending our friendship and exploring ways to further strengthen and expand our partnership. The KDF and RDF share much in common in areas such as training, regional peace, and stability, and we continue to learn from each other. We are grateful for the warm reception and look forward to finalising the Defence Cooperation Agreement, which is now in its final stages.”
As part of his visit, General Kahariri paid tribute to the victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi at the Kigali Genocide Memorial and toured the Campaign Against Genocide Museum.
The Kenyan military chief is also expected to visit the RDF Command and Staff College (RDFCSC) in Nyakinama, where he will deliver a Lecture of Opportunity to participants of the Senior Command and Staff Course.
In a video shared by MONUSCO, soldiers are seen being trained in the use of drones, handling heavy artillery, and managing casualties and injuries. The training took place in Bunia, Ituri province, under the supervision of General Saiful Alam Bhuiyan, Commander of MONUSCO’s North Sector.
“As you know, our mandate is to eventually transition responsibilities to the local security forces so they can maintain law and order,” General Bhuiyan says in the social media video shared on Tuesday.
“We are trying to train the maximum number of FARDC soldiers. They are also being trained on human rights, and other sectors will continue this work until local forces have sufficient capacity to govern their own people.”
However, Minister Nduhungirehe questioned the wisdom of the training, noting that FARDC’s alliance with the FDLR, a militia linked to the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, raises serious concerns. He argued that arming and training forces associated with such groups undermines civilian protection and perpetuates insecurity in the region, where the Congolese forces are battling M23 rebels.
“If I understand correctly, MONUSCO, which is a UN peacekeeping mission whose main mandate is the protection of civilians, is training the Congolese army, allied with the genocidal FDLR militia, to handle heavy weapons and attack drones, the very same weapons currently being used by FARDC in ongoing ceasefire violations and daily bombardments of densely populated areas,” Nduhungirehe said.
“Thus, 26 years after its deployment, during which nearly 20 billion dollars have been spent, the FDLR has strengthened, armed groups have multiplied, and hate speech and persecution of Rwandophone communities have become normalized, MONUSCO continues to demonstrate, if any further proof was needed, that it is one of the greatest failures in the history of the United Nations.”
Si j'ai bien compris, la @MONUSCO, qui est une mission onusienne de maintien de la paix, dont le mandat principal est la protection des civils, est entrain de former l'armée congolaise (alliée à la milice génocidaire FDLR) à manier des armes lourdes et des drônes d'attaque,… https://t.co/ztjh5JAarJ
Rwanda has often questioned MONUSCO’s mandate in the Democratic Republic of Congo amid growing insecurity, displacement, and the deaths of scores of civilians.
The concerns have been echoed repeatedly by President Paul Kagame, who has in the past sharply criticised MONUSCO over its decades-long presence in eastern DRC. Kagame argues that the mission has failed to stabilise the region, curb violence, or address the root causes of conflict, despite a multibillion-dollar budget.
“What did they actually come to do? To keep peace? What peace? To bring peace? What peace have they brought? Did they come to solve the security problem caused by the FDLR, which has been in Congo for 30 years? Nothing. So why are they still there?” President Kagame posed during an interview with Lebanese-Australian entrepreneur and citizen journalist Mario Nawfal.
The Senate’s latest attempt to pass a “clean” continuing resolution failed Tuesday by a 54–44 vote, six short of the 60 needed to overcome a filibuster.
The shutdown stems from a prolonged standoff in Congress over a new funding deal. Lawmakers in both chambers have failed to reach agreement despite 14 separate votes on temporary funding measures.
The deadlock has pitted Democrats, who are demanding an extension of healthcare subsidies for low-income Americans, against Republicans, who accuse them of tying unrelated policy priorities to the government funding bill.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed cautious optimism this week that a resolution might be nearing, saying his “gut” suggested “an off-ramp” could be close. But for now, there are few signs of concrete progress.
The previous record for the longest government shutdown was 35 days, set during President Donald Trump’s first term in 2019. Like the current crisis, that shutdown was driven by a bitter partisan dispute, then over border wall funding.
{{Mounting impacts nationwide
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The effects of the ongoing closure are spreading across critical sectors. More than 800,000 federal employees have already missed multiple paychecks, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned this week that the nation’s air travel system could face major disruptions if the shutdown continues. He said about 13,000 air traffic controllers are working without pay.
“If you bring us to a week from today, Democrats, you will see mass chaos,” Duffy told Fox News. “You will see mass flight delays. You’ll see mass cancellations, and you may see us close certain parts of the airspace, because we just cannot manage it because we don’t have the air traffic controllers.”
The shutdown is also taking a toll on low-income families who depend on government assistance. Funding interruptions have affected the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food benefits to about 42 million Americans, roughly one in eight people nationwide.
A federal court recently ordered the Trump administration to release contingency funds to partially sustain SNAP payments, but President Trump has indicated on social media that full benefits will only resume when “Radical Left Democrats open up government.” The White House later stated that it would comply with the court’s directive.
{{Economic consequences and public frustration
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According to the Congressional Budget Office, the shutdown could cost the U.S. economy an estimated $14 billion if it extends to eight weeks. Analysts warn that disruptions in sectors such as aviation, healthcare, and food assistance could worsen if no deal is reached soon.
The political fallout is also deepening. A Gallup poll released this week shows public approval of Congress has fallen to 15 percent, down 11 points from last month, with 79 percent of Americans expressing disapproval of how lawmakers are handling the standoff.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blamed Republicans for “surging healthcare costs” tied to stalled subsidy extensions, while Thune accused Democrats of worsening the shutdown’s toll on American families.
Despite rising frustration across the country, efforts to end the shutdown remain gridlocked.
Moderate lawmakers from both parties have indicated a willingness to broker a compromise ahead of Thanksgiving on November 27, but as of now, Washington remains at a standstill, and millions of Americans are bearing the cost of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
