The shutdown commenced hours after the Senate rejected a short-term spending measure that would have kept government operations afloat through November 21. Trump budget director Russell Vought, who has called for “less bipartisan” appropriations, threatened permanent layoffs last week in the event of a shutdown. “What’s changed is, President Trump is in the White House. And there isn’t any substantive reason why there ought to be a government shutdown,” the South Dakota Republican told reporters. Trump’s Republicans hold majorities in both chambers of Congress, but legislative rules require 60 of the 100 senators to agree on spending legislation.