President-elect Trump is calling for Republicans to raise the debt ceiling as part of the government funding plan. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Trump seeks to spike stopgap funding bill, sending Congress into chaos days before shutdown
A short-term spending bill appeared dead less than 24 hours after its introduction and less than three days before agencies must shutter.
President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance advised congressional Republicans to oppose a bipartisan deal they just brokered to avert a government shutdown this weekend, saying they should negotiate a new deal instead.
Republicans should not allow any concessions to Democrats as part of a stopgap funding bill, Vance posted on X Wednesday afternoon, and instead include a provision to raise the nation’s borrowing limit. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., had just released the text of the continuing resolution 24 hours prior after tense negotiations with Democrats. The measure was set to keep agencies funded at their current levels through March 14, provide $100 billion in disaster relief, offer $10 billion in economic assistance to farmers and address a myriad of additional policy provisions.
Many Republican lawmakers across the ideological spectrum objected to the bill, saying the package included too many extraneous provisions, was rushed at the last minute by a small group in leadership and would allow a pay increase for members of Congress for the first time since 2009. Trump and Vance appeared to put the death knell on the measure on Wednesday.
“We should pass a streamlined spending bill that doesn’t give Chuck Schumer and the Democrats everything they want,” Vance said in a statement attributed to him and Trump. “Republicans must GET SMART and TOUGH. If Democrats threaten to shut down the government unless we give them everything they want, then CALL THEIR BLUFF.”
House leaders announced after the statement there would be no further votes Wednesday but there could be a vote on a spending measure Thursday.
Earlier in the day, tech entrepreneur Elon Musk—a Trump confidante and leader of his government efficiency commission—said no Republican should back the CR. The measure would have likely required significant Democratic support to pass both chambers.
Now, Trump is calling for Republicans to raise the debt ceiling as part of the government funding plan. President Biden signed a measure into law last year that suspended the borrowing limit until Jan. 1, 2025, though the Treasury Department is expected to take its usual steps that will delay the actual deadline by several months.
Trump and Vance said it was “foolish and inept” to allow that deadline to hit in 2025 and the issue should instead be resolved “on Biden’s watch.”
A government shutdown looms Friday evening, however, giving lawmakers little time to construct such a deal. Johnson is weighing a “clean” CR, according to several reports, that would keep agencies open in the short term but delay decision making on any other provisions of the package.
Musk went on to say that Congress should not pass any laws until Trump takes office Jan. 20 and replied “YES” to a message calling for the government to shut down in the intervening period.
“‘Shutting down’ the government (which doesn’t actually shut down critical functions btw) is infinitely better than passing a horrible bill,” Musk said.