Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed since the shutdown began on October 1, while others deemed essential – including some military personnel – have been required to turn up to work without receiving a paycheck.

“We kind of feel like we’re like a bargaining chip to an extent,” a long-serving US Air Force employee told AFP. “We’re not getting paid because people in D.C. who are getting paid can’t get on the same page.”