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Donald Trump has voiced strong opposition to House Speaker Mike Johnson’s proposed 1,600-page government funding plan, urging Republicans to reject the deal. Trump, along with incoming Vice President J.D. Vance, criticized the measure as overly favorable to Democrats and encouraged GOP lawmakers to take a hardline stance, even if it risks a government shutdown.
“Republicans must get smart and tough,” Trump and Vance said in a joint statement. “If Democrats threaten to shut down the government unless we give them everything they want, then call their bluff.” They advocated for a “clean continuing resolution” (CR)—a bill stripped of additional policy measures like disaster relief and pay raises for Congress. “We should pass a streamlined spending bill that doesn’t give Chuck Schumer and the Democrats everything they want,” they added.
The Trump-Vance statement also underscored the need to address the impending debt ceiling crisis. When the debt ceiling suspension expires on January 1, 2025, the Trump administration will face significant spending restrictions. “The most foolish and inept thing ever done by Congressional Republicans was allowing our country to hit the debt ceiling in 2025. It was a mistake and is now something that must be addressed,” the statement read. Trump and Vance urged Republicans to negotiate with Democrats now to either raise or suspend the debt ceiling, arguing that doing so on President Biden’s watch would be more strategic.
Meanwhile, billionaire Elon Musk, who co-chairs Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative with Vivek Ramaswamy, launched a public campaign against Johnson’s CR. Musk, a close Trump ally, blasted the proposal as wasteful, specifically targeting its inclusion of a 40% pay raise for Congress. “How can this be called a ‘continuing resolution’ if it includes a 40% pay increase for Congress?” Musk posted on X.
Musk’s fiery opposition included threats to unseat Republicans who vote in favor of the bill. “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!” he declared. Following widespread backlash, Musk later announced, “Your elected representatives have heard you, and now the terrible bill is dead. The voice of the people has triumphed!”
Johnson’s CR, designed to prevent a government shutdown by extending funding until March, includes provisions for hurricane relief, farmer assistance, and other disasters, along with higher salaries for lawmakers. Johnson defended the plan as a temporary compromise, telling Fox News, “We gotta get this thing done so we don’t have the shutdown, and we get to March where we can put our fingerprints on the spending.”
Despite Johnson’s assurances, conservative Republicans have been sharply critical of the CR, describing it as a “crap sandwich” and a “dumpster fire.” Hardline GOP members, emboldened by Musk’s criticism, may leverage this controversy during the upcoming vote for House Speaker in January, where Johnson’s leadership could face renewed challenges.
