Also read:Poll Do you believe the current government shutdown is more serious than previous shutdowns? Agencies responsible for protecting life and property — such as border protection, air traffic control, law enforcement, and in-hospital medical care — continue to operate. The National Institutes of Health will continue care for existing patients but suspend new clinical trials. But this crisis is unfolding in an economy already unsettled by tariffs, technological disruption, and rising healthcare costs. For Trump, the standoff represents a chance to push through his agenda of shrinking government.