President-elect Donald Trump delivered a likely death blow to bipartisan congressional budget negotiations, rejecting the measure as filled with giveaways to Democrats after billionaire ally Elon Musk whipped up outrage towards the invoice and cheered on Republican lawmakers who introduced their opposition.
Trump’s joint assertion Wednesday with Vice President-elect JD Vance stopped the invoice in its tracks and punctuated a torrent of social media posts by Musk attacking the laws for what he described as extreme spending.
“Stop the steal of your tax {dollars}!” Musk wrote on his social media platform X as he dangled major challenges towards anybody who voted for the finances deal, a risk Trump later echoed in a submit of his personal.
The episode showcased the rising political influence of Musk, a huge campaign donor and promoter of Trump-friendly messaging on X, the social media platform previously generally known as Twitter that he purchased in 2022. Trump has chosen Musk alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy to spearhead the Department of Government Efficiency, a nongovernmental job pressure shaped to search out methods to fireside federal staff, minimize packages and scale back rules.
Rep. Andy Barr, a Republican from Kentucky, mentioned his workplace was flooded with calls from constituents.
“My telephone was ringing off the hook,” he mentioned. “The individuals who elected us are listening to Elon Musk.”
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In addition to protecting the federal government funded by means of March, the legislation included $110.4 billion in catastrophe assist, together with $29 billion for FEMA’s catastrophe aid fund, which has been depleted within the aftermath of hurricanes Milton and Helene. The 1,500-page invoice additionally included funding to rebuild Baltimore’s collapsed Key Bridge, quite a lot of well being care provisions, and a congressional pay elevate.
In his assertion with Vance, Trump mentioned Republicans ought to restart negotiations over the laws, arguing that “anything is a betrayal of our nation.” He additionally known as for together with an extension of the debt ceiling whereas President Joe Biden is in workplace.
“Increasing the debt ceiling shouldn’t be nice however we might somewhat do it on Biden’s watch,” they mentioned. “If Democrats will not cooperate on a debt ceiling enhance now, what makes anybody assume they’d do it in June throughout our administration? Let’s have this debate over the debt ceiling now.”
Then, in an interview with CBS News on Thursday, Trump mentioned he thinks “the debt ceiling ought to be thrown out totally.”
Trump’s opposition to what was thought-about must-pass laws reinjected a way of uncertainty and political brinkmanship that was paying homage to his first time period in workplace. It was a dramatic flip of occasions for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who negotiated the invoice and has been undermined by Trump as he faces reelection for his submit in simply a few weeks. Republicans have a slim majority, elevating the opportunity of a replay of leadership disputes that paralyzed the House a yr in the past.
Many lawmakers have been in the course of vacation and year-end celebrations with employees when Trump got here out towards the laws.
“I’ve been right here 14 years, OK? So nothing up right here surprises me anymore,” mentioned Rep. Steve Womack, a senior Republican appropriator from Arkansas. “We should not be on this mess.”
The Biden administration criticized the opportunity of a shutdown.
“Republicans must cease taking part in politics with this bipartisan settlement or they’ll harm hardworking Americans and create instability throughout the nation,” mentioned White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform and a veteran of Washington’s finances battles, was involved concerning the lack of a transparent plan for resolving the dispute.
“There’s received to be a second a part of the technique,” he mentioned.
Norquist has been captivated with Musk’s potential to generate public consideration for efforts to cut back the dimensions of presidency. But he recommended that the proprietor of an area rocket firm wasn’t the proper individual to spearhead a congressional spending debate.
“He would not know politics like he is aware of physics,” he mentioned.
But others have been thrilled with Musk’s involvement.
“In 5 years in Congress, I’ve been awaiting a basic change within the dynamic,” posted Rep. Dan Bishop, a Republican from North Carolina. “It has arrived.”
Musk started criticizing the measure as quickly because it was launched Tuesday night, and he constantly posted about it Wednesday.
“Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending invoice deserves to be voted out in 2 years!” he wrote. He additionally known as it “one of many worst payments ever written.”
Sometimes Musk amplified false claims, equivalent to the concept the laws included $3 billion for a brand new soccer stadium in Washington. In actuality, the laws would switch possession of the land from the federal authorities to the town, paving the best way for eventual improvement.
That adopted a sample seen in CBS News analysis of his posts through the marketing campaign season, when Musk incessantly shared false narratives concerning the election and amplified excessive voices from the right-wing fringe to his tens of millions of followers.
Musk appeared emboldened by the expertise combatting the funding invoice.
“The voice of the individuals was heard,” Musk wrote. “This was a great day for America.”
Democratic House chief Hakeem Jeffries mentioned the fallout could be Republicans’ fault.
“You break the bipartisan settlement, you personal the results that observe,” he wrote on X.
contributed to this report.
