A town in Trump country where shutdown axe looms

It's been three months since Jonathan Giba moved into temporary housing for homeless veterans at the Veterans Affairs Hospital in West Virginia.

He was awaiting medical and dental consultation after previous medications left him without teeth and unable to walk. Now that the government is closed, he's preparing to wait even longer.

He calls it “political nonsense.” The U.S. Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital where Mr. Giba is staying in Martinsburg, West Virginia, still provides medical care, but the VA has discontinued other programs that help veterans find jobs and transition out of military life.

“Disconnection is a waste of time, and at the same time it hurts everyone,” says the Army veteran.

Martinsburg is an American city are especially eager to feel the effects of the US government shutdown.

In a city of nearly 20,000 people located about 85 miles (136 kilometers) from Washington, D.C., federal agencies employ more than 3,300 people in the area, between a veterans hospital, an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) processing center and an agricultural assistance office.

About a thousand more federal workers commute to the nation's capital every day from the Amtrak station in downtown Martinsburg.

This is Trump country, where 67% voted for president in 2024, and fierce independence underlies a kind of make-it-works mentality.

Due to the government shutdown, a nearby public event, the Freedom's Run Race Series, changed its route from trails near a federal Civil War battlefield but otherwise continued as planned. Harpers Ferry, a national park and nearby tourist attraction, remained open with public money.

But political divisions in Washington and a seeming lack of concern for ordinary Americans are not so far from people's minds. And they worry about what will happen as the shutdown drags on.

On an unseasonably warm Monday, nearly six days after the U.S. government shutdown, Mr. Giba sits in the shade of a large tree and smokes cigarettes with other veterans.

One of them, Troy Williams, says politics is hurting average Americans. “It’s not a problem for Democrats or Republicans,” he says, “it’s a question of why they don’t work to solve the problem.”

Air Force veteran Marcellus Brothers is worried about what lies ahead. “We are in limbo, it’s scary.”

Republicans and Democrats have been deadlocked over government funding since it ran out Oct. 1 and much of the government shut down, leaving more than 700,000 people on unpaid leave. About 200,000 other workers considered “essential” are working without pay as the political standoff drags on.

Politicians in Washington pointed the finger at the opposition party. On Friday, the White House began laying off thousands of federal workers.

In a state already hit by job losses as a result of the Trump administration's efforts to cut the federal workforce, the shutdown threatens to cause even greater losses, warns Kelly Allen, executive director of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy.

“We have more federal government employees than coal miners in West Virginia,” she says. “Certainly the job pays well, comes with good benefits, and in a state where there aren't a lot of good-paying jobs, that's really important.”

Tina Hissam, a small business employee in the area, has seen first-hand how the government shutdown has impacted her neighbors.

“It hurts small businesses, they can cancel services, they can't shop locally,” she said of federal workers. “The government shutdown is having a huge impact and it's really scary, I'm just praying that it all goes away.”

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) service center, which serves seven surrounding counties, has already closed its doors.

The office, responsible for helping farmers, ranchers and landowners with tasks such as applying for farm loans and disaster assistance, will remain closed until the government reopens.

And on Wednesday, the IRS laid off 34,000 workers, so the Martinsburg service center could soon be affected as well.

History has shown that as shutdowns continue, more services are discontinued or closed due to lack of funding.

West Virginia Sen. Shelley Moore Capito remains steadfast despite the potential impact on the regions she represents like Martinsburg. She voted with other Republicans to provide government funding without the health care subsidies that Democrats want. Proposals from both sides have repeatedly failed.

In a local article, Moore Capito noted that West Virginia has the third-highest number of federal employees per capita in the country, but blamed Democratic intransigence.

“These are our neighbors and friends—the people who keep our miners safe, provide veterans' benefits, secure our borders and keep drugs out of our communities. They now face uncertainty about their salaries through no fault of their own.”

When the first post-lockdown checks arrive (or don't) on Friday, it may finally make a difference.

During previous shutdowns, federal workers who went without pay were given their pay back, but it remains unclear whether that will happen this time.

“Economic losses can have widespread impacts on local communities, businesses and households. This could cause long-term damage to the local economy,” says resident Mark Mulligan.

“West Virginia is a poor state dependent on federal jobs and handouts. The pain for the elderly, disabled and children can be catastrophic.”