Washington, D.C. – The U.S. government teeters on the brink of a shutdown following a tumultuous 24 hours marked by a dramatic reversal from President-elect Donald Trump and influential social media posts by Elon Musk.
On Wednesday, Trump, who has historically supported House Speaker Mike Johnson, unexpectedly opposed a short-term government funding deal. This opposition came after Musk unleashed a series of criticisms on social media, describing the funding bill as “criminal.” Trump further escalated tensions by threatening primary challenges to any Republican supporting the deal and calling for changes to the debt ceiling legislation before his inauguration.
The discord began when Trump, after attending the Army-Navy game with Johnson, expressed his preference for a full-year spending bill over the short-term resolution. Sources close to the situation revealed that Trump sought to clear the decks for his agenda by resolving contentious spending issues early. However, Johnson, grappling with the complexities of passing such legislation, did not commit to these demands, leading to confusion and discord within the GOP.
By Thursday, Trump’s stance shifted again, supporting Johnson’s new proposal that attempted to meet his earlier demands. This bill, which would extend government funding for three months, lift the debt ceiling until 2027, extend the farm bill, and allocate $110 billion for disaster relief, failed to pass, with significant opposition from 38 Republicans.
The rapid sequence of events has left House Republican leadership scrambling, raising questions about the party’s cohesion and governance strategy once Trump assumes office. Democrats, previously supportive of Johnson in maintaining his speakership, have indicated they are no longer willing to assist in managing the GOP’s internal conflicts.
The fallout from Wednesday’s collapse of the funding bill was exacerbated by a lack of clear communication within the GOP, with some members only learning of contentious details like their own pay raise late in the game. Musk’s and Donald Trump Jr.’s social media influence further fueled public and internal dissent, leading to a flood of calls to congressional offices opposing the bill.
As of now, the government faces an imminent shutdown with funding set to expire at midnight on Friday, unless a new agreement can be swiftly reached. Speaker Johnson assured reporters that the party would regroup and find another solution, but with time running out and divisions deep, the path forward remains uncertain.
