A bipartisan plan to avert a government shutdown before Christmas collapsed Wednesday after President-elect Donald Trump’s unexpected rejection, throwing Congress into disarray with just days remaining before federal funding expires. Trump, along with Vice President-elect JD Vance, called for Republicans to renegotiate, demanding the inclusion of a debt ceiling increase alongside government funding measures.
The massive 1,500-page funding package, which included $100.4 billion in disaster relief for states affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton, faced mounting opposition even before Trump’s intervention. The situation became more precarious after Trump ally Elon Musk, slated to head the new Department of Government Efficiency, publicly denounced the bill on his social media platform X, leading to an immediate surge of constituent calls to congressional offices.
The package contained several significant provisions beyond routine funding, including disaster aid, $10 billion in farmer assistance, funding for rebuilding Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, and a controversial congressional pay raise of 3.8% – the first increase since 2009. It would have also transferred the RFK Stadium site from federal control to Washington, D.C., potentially facilitating a new stadium for the Washington Commanders.
House Speaker Mike Johnson now faces a daunting challenge to devise a new plan before Friday’s deadline. The situation is complicated by Trump’s insistence on addressing the debt ceiling, which expires in 2025 – a demand reminiscent of the contentious negotiations that led to former Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s removal from leadership.
Democratic leaders, including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, criticized the Republican reversal, arguing it would harm Americans nationwide. The White House, through Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, accused Republicans of playing politics with government funding.
The crisis highlights the growing influence of wealthy individuals like Musk on congressional decision-making. Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland characterized the situation as symptomatic of an “oligarchy” where “a handful of wealthy people run everything.” Musk’s warning that supporters of the bill “deserve to be voted out in 2 years” carries particular weight given his financial backing of Trump’s campaign and his ability to influence political careers through his America PAC.
The rejected stopgap measure would have extended government operations at current levels through March 14, 2025, covering various federal agencies from the Pentagon to domestic services. However, with Trump’s new demands and increasing right-wing opposition, the path forward remains unclear as the shutdown deadline approaches.
The situation foreshadows potential challenges for Republicans as they prepare to control both chambers of Congress and the White House, demonstrating the significant influence Trump maintains over party decisions and the difficulties Johnson faces in managing his majority while maintaining Trump’s support.
Senators from both parties expressed concern about the dysfunction, with Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri questioning whether this chaos would become “the norm” under Johnson’s leadership. Meanwhile, Democrats are expected to provide crucial support for any eventual compromise, following the traditional pattern for major bipartisan legislation.
