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JUST IN: Congress’ CR ‘Almost Certainly Dead’ After Musk-Trump Pressure Campaign

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2 days ago

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A stopgap spending bill aimed at averting a government shutdown appears all but doomed after vocal opposition from conservative Republicans and mounting pressure from tech mogul Elon Musk, a close ally of President-elect Donald Trump.

Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) leadership team has begun quietly considering alternative funding plans, including a pared-down version of the current proposal, as it becomes increasingly clear that Johnson lacks the support to push the measure through. According to two Republican officials familiar with the discussions who spoke with Politico, the Louisiana Republican is weighing the possibility of a “clean” continuing resolution, or CR, stripped of $100 billion in disaster aid, $30 billion for farmers, and a one-year extension of the farm bill. Those measures, they say, could be revisited early next year.

According to the outlet, Johnson has yet to finalize his decision. However, a shift in strategy could greatly benefit his conservative base, which has openly criticized the existing spending bill and renewed a latent threat to his leadership. Many of these conservative members traditionally oppose interim spending measures, noting that several bill amendments were made to satisfy other Republicans and Democrats.

The opposition intensified after Musk took to X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday to denounce the bipartisan spending package as “criminal.” The proposal, which would extend federal funding through March 2025, has drawn fierce criticism from fiscal conservatives who view it as a continuation of Biden-era spending priorities. Now some Republicans think that Musk’s criticisms have spurred additional GOP members in the House to reject the spending plan.

When asked if Musk’s tweets were influencing votes within the Capitol, Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ) responded, “I think it’s having an effect on some people,” adding, “I think it probably is.”

“Look, I welcome Elon to the fight. I’ve been doing this a long time, I spoke out against it yesterday,” Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) stated.

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The GOP, not in full control until next year, is limited in crafting preferred spending bills. Some Republicans believe that Musk doesn’t understand that spending bills in Washington need bipartisan support. Democrats might withhold support for a temporary funding measure if it excludes concessions.

The legislation, intended to give Congress more time to negotiate longer-term spending agreements, now faces an uphill battle. Johnson, who leads a razor-thin Republican majority, must contend with a revolt among conservatives who have dubbed the proposal a “Christmas Cramnibus” — a reference to its size and inclusion of measures they oppose.

The Tesla and SpaceX chief executive, who has increasingly inserted himself into political debates, has aligned himself with the incoming Trump administration through a new advisory role focused on reducing government spending. Alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, Musk is helping to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, a Trump initiative aimed at slashing waste and curbing bureaucracy.

“Ever seen a bigger piece of pork?” Musk posted Wednesday, ramping up his online campaign against the legislation. The tech mogul urged his millions of followers to lobby their representatives to kill the bill, warning that passing it would perpetuate the very problems Republicans campaigned to fix.

The growing dissent drew an official response Wednesday evening from President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, who sharply criticized the spending proposal while calling for a more aggressive Republican stance. “The most foolish and inept thing ever done by Congressional Republicans was allowing our country to hit the debt ceiling in 2025,” Trump and Vance said in a joint statement. “It was a mistake and is now something that must be addressed.”

Calling on Republican leadership to “GET SMART and TOUGH,” they implored their party to force Democrats into negotiations rather than conceding on spending demands. “If Democrats threaten to shut down the government unless we give them everything they want, then CALL THEIR BLUFF,” the statement read

“Absolutely, this bill should NOT pass,” Musk wrote in a post. “A new bill that isn’t an insane crime against the American people should be done in 33 days.”

The clock, however, is ticking. Federal funding is set to expire within days, leaving lawmakers with little time to resolve an increasingly divisive debate that could reshape the early days of Trump’s return to power.

(VOTE: Should JD Vance Run For President In 2028?)



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