The longest government shutdown in US history lasted 35 days; the current shutdown is halfway to matching it

WASHINGTON — Friday marked 17 days since the federal government shut down, which is nearly halfway to matching the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

With no end in sight, the current government shutdown has become the third-longest funding lapse in modern history, according to CBS News .

While the majority of shutdowns have lasted just a few days , the longest government shutdown lasted 35 days in total during President Donald Trump's first term. It started on Dec. 22, 2018, and lasted until Jan. 25, 2019, making it the longest shutdown in American history.

The 2018-19 shutdown centered on a dispute over funding for a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump had demanded $5.7 billion for the project, while congressional Democrats refused to include the funding in a