Trump Says He’s Against Johnson’s Government Funding Bill—Tells Republicans To ‘Get Smart And Tough’
President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance released a statement Wednesday opposing a proposed funding bill in Congress backed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., that would avoid a government shutdown, demanding a more hard line bill with fewer concessions to Democrats..
Then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump (L) and then-Republican vice presidential ... [+]
They said the proposed funding bill—which Johnson negotiated—would “give sweetheart provisions for government censors,” make it easier to hide records of the Jan. 6 committee and give Congress a pay increase while “Americans are struggling.”
Trump and Vance said in the statement, shared on social media, that “the most foolish and inept thing ever done by Congressional Republicans was allowing our country to hit the debt ceiling in 2025,” calling it a “mistake” that “must be addressed.”
Lawmakers introduced the 1,547-page stop-gap funding bill Tuesday night in an effort to avert a government shutdown during the holidays and keep the government open through mid-March.
If lawmakers don’t intervene, the government will shut down Saturday at 12:01 a.m.
This story is breaking and will be updated.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.
“Republicans must GET SMART and TOUGH,” Trump and Vance said in the statement. “If Democrats threaten to shut down the government unless we give them everything they want, then CALL THEIR BLUFF. It is Schumer and Biden who are holding up aid to our farmers and disaster relief.”
Trump’s ally Elon Musk had been loudly advocating throughout the day for Republicans to oppose the bill. Musk attacked the stop-gap bill, calling it “terrible,” “one of the worst bills ever written” and said shutting down the government “is infinitely better than passing a horrible bill” in a series of posts on X, formerly known as Twitter.