A last-minute bipartisan spending bill aimed at preventing a government shutdown appears to have been abandoned on Thursday after significant backlash from President-elect Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and House Republicans. The addon-heavy continuing resolution, which seemed poised to head to a vote as of Wednesday afternoon, was meant to fund the federal government until March 2025, while also providing $100 billion in disaster aid and giving members of Congress a pay raise.
Trump criticized the 1,547-page bill proposed by Speaker Mike Johnson for its excessive spending and lack of provisions to raise the debt ceiling, calling it a “nasty TRAP set in place by the Radical Left Democrats.”
“Congress is considering a spending bill that would give sweetheart provisions for government censors and for Liz Cheney,” Trump said. “The bill would make it easier to hide the records of the corrupt January 6 committee—which accomplished nothing for the American people and hid security failures that happened that day. This bill would also give Congress a pay increase while many Americans are struggling this Christmas.”
Meanwhile, Elon Musk, who is set to lead Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, publicly condemned the bill on social media, stating that any Republican supporting it would face consequences in upcoming elections.
“Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!” Musk said in an X post.
Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024
He further declared that Congress should not pass any bills until January 20, when Trump officially takes office.
No bills should be passed Congress until Jan 20, when @realDonaldTrump takes office.
None.
Zero.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024
Following this pressure, Speaker Johnson announced that the deal was effectively dead, leaving Republicans scrambling for alternatives to avoid a shutdown before Christmas. Johnson is now considering a ‘clean’ continuing resolution that would strip provisions such as disaster aid and support for farmers. The original bill had also included provisions for rebuilding Baltimore’s devastated Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The swift collapse of the bill highlights the growing influence of Trump and Musk within the Republican Party as they push for stricter fiscal measures.
In response, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries warned that Democrats will oppose any federal spending bill that deviates from the negotiated bipartisan agreement, cautioning Republicans they will be responsible for any government shutdown.
“House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government…and hurt the working class Americans they claim to support,” Jeffries said. “You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow.”
House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government.
And hurt the working class Americans they claim to support.
You break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) December 18, 2024
Connor Walcott is the lead writer for Valuetainment.com. Follow Connor on X and look for him on VT’s “The Unusual Suspects.”
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