Washington descended into chaos on Wednesday as President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk led a campaign to block a bipartisan short-term spending bill, bringing the government to the brink of a shutdown. The move, orchestrated just days before the Christmas holiday, shattered House Speaker Mike Johnson's hopes of passing a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through early 2025 and avoid a partial shutdown.
The blocked bill included nearly $100 billion in disaster relief for hurricane-hit states, economic aid for farmers, funds for rebuilding Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge, and measures to criminalize revenge porn. But Trump and Musk deemed it excessive and unaligned with Republican priorities.
"Sounds like the ridiculous and extraordinarily expensive Continuing Resolution, PLUS, is dying fast," Trump wrote on Truth Social, adding, "Unless the Democrats terminate or substantially extend the Debt Ceiling now, I will fight 'till the end. This is a nasty TRAP set in place by the Radical Left Democrats!"
Musk, co-chair of the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), echoed Trump's sentiments. He lambasted the 1,547-page bill as "full of pork" in a series of posts on his platform, X, and urged lawmakers to reject it. "The voice of the people was heard. This was a good day for America," Musk declared after the bill's collapse.
The Republican-led resistance to the CR has pushed Johnson into a political minefield, raising questions about his leadership and jeopardizing his speakership. Several GOP lawmakers openly expressed doubts about his ability to lead after Trump and Musk turned against the bill. "The speaker doesn't have the votes right now," said Bryan Lanza, a former adviser to Trump, adding that Johnson would need Trump's support to survive politically.
The bill's failure has left Congress scrambling for alternatives to avert a government shutdown, which would disrupt vital services and potentially harm millions of Americans, including seniors, veterans, and federal employees. Without new funding by midnight Friday, parts of the federal government will cease operations.
Democrats, who had negotiated the original deal with Republicans, were quick to blame the GOP for the impending crisis. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said, "House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government and hurt everyday Americans all across this country. An agreement is an agreement. It was bipartisan, and there was nothing more to say."
Adding to the pressure, Trump has insisted that Congress raise the debt ceiling before his inauguration on January 20, a move seen as a bid to avoid political backlash during his second term. "Everything should be done, and fully negotiated, prior to my taking office," he warned on Truth Social.
The GOP's internal divisions were on full display as conservative hardliners celebrated the bill's failure, viewing it as a step toward shrinking government. However, moderates expressed concern about the potential fallout. Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, a Trump ally, revealed that the president-elect was initially unaware of the details of the bill but later joined the opposition after learning about its contents.
The crisis has also amplified Musk's influence in Washington. The billionaire's aggressive lobbying against the CR, including a 70-post blitz on X, has underscored his growing role as a political disruptor alongside Trump. However, it has also drawn criticism. Rep. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., called Musk a "shadow president-elect," accusing him of pulling strings behind the scenes.
As the clock ticks toward the shutdown deadline, the path forward remains uncertain. Republicans face a tough balancing act: appeasing their base while avoiding the political fallout of a prolonged shutdown. For Johnson, the stakes are especially high. Having ascended to the speakership as a compromise candidate, his ability to unify his party and navigate the crisis could determine his political future.
