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Trump and Musk Oppose Bipartisan Bill Over Debt Ceiling, Threaten Shutdown

Dec 19, 2024, 05:26 AM

President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk have publicly opposed a bipartisan government funding bill, increasing the likelihood of a government shutdown as the current funding deadline approaches on Friday night. Trump, along with Vice President-elect JD Vance, criticized the bill for including what they described as 'Democrat giveaways' and urged Republicans to reject it unless it included an increase in the debt ceiling. Musk, a key ally of Trump, used his social media platform to rally opposition against the bill, threatening political repercussions for lawmakers who supported it and imploring his over 200 million followers to call their representatives. The opposition has thrown House Speaker Mike Johnson's plan into disarray, forcing him to seek a new agreement to keep the government funded, especially challenging given his slim majority. The bill in question included over $100 billion in disaster relief and $10 billion for economic assistance for farmers, which were points of contention. Trump also threatened to support primary challenges against any Republican who voted for the bill.