Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs What’s NewPresident-elect Donald Trump has sided with Elon Musk in his opposition to House Speaker Mike Johnson’s bill to temporarily fund the government.Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance criticized the bill in a statement posted to Vance’s X (formerly Twitter) account Wednesday afternoon.”Republicans must GET SMART and TOUGH. 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,” they wrote.On Wednesday, Musk, a prominent Trump ally, blasted the bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), on X in a direct challenge to Johnson. He praised Republican members of Congress who have pledged to vote it down over myriad concerns he has with it, including a measure that would allow members of Congress to get a raise.”‘Shutting down’ the government (which doesn’t actually shut down critical functions btw) is infinitely better than passing a horrible bill,” Musk wrote in one post.Newsweek reached out via email to Johnson’s office and Musk, via SpaceX and Tesla, for comment.Why It MattersCongress has only until Friday to pass the CR to avoid a government shutdown, just days before Christmas. Trump, as the GOP’s leader, holds substantial influence over Republicans and has proved capable of sinking legislation, including a bipartisan border bill earlier this year.Musk’s push against the bill is also a test over his own sway in the Republican Party. He has become increasingly popular among conservative voters and lawmakers following his embrace of Trump in this year’s election. Trump has said Musk will lead the new Department of Government Efficiency.
Elon Musk attends a House GOP Conference meeting in Washington on November 13. Musk’s push against a continuing resolution in the House to keep the government open over the holidays is a test of his…
Elon Musk attends a House GOP Conference meeting in Washington on November 13. Musk’s push against a continuing resolution in the House to keep the government open over the holidays is a test of his sway over the Republican Party
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What To KnowTrump and Vance slammed the bill for allegedly giving “sweetheart provisions for government censors and for Liz Cheney” and a pay increase for members of Congress. They wrote that Republicans should pass a “streamlined spending bill that doesn’t give Chuck Schumer and the Democrats everything they want.””Republicans want to support our farmers, pay for disaster relief, and set our country up for success in 2025. The only way to do that is with a temporary funding bill WITHOUT DEMOCRAT GIVEAWAYS combined with an increase in the debt ceiling. Anything else is a betrayal of our country,” they wrote.Johnson addressed Musk’s concerns during an interview on Fox & Friends earlier Wednesday.”I was communicating with Elon last night. Elon, Vivek [Ramaswamy] and I are on a text chain together, and I explained to them the background of this. Vivek and I talked last night [until] about almost midnight, and he said, ‘Look I get it. We understand. You’re in an impossible position,'” Johnson said.He continued: “Everybody knows that. Look, guys, we still have just a razor-thin margin of Republicans, so any bill has to have Democrat votes. They understand the situation.”According to Johnson, Musk and Ramaswamy said their criticism is not directed at him and that he agrees with some of their concerns about federal spending. This bill, he said, would allow Republicans to “clear the decks” before Trump returns to the White House in January.In another post, Musk encouraged his followers to call their representatives to urge them to vote against the legislation. He has described the bill as a “steal of your tax dollars” and “unconscionable.”Lawrence Jones III, co-host of Fox & Friends, said on X that Trump is “totally against” the CR.What People Are SayingJournalist Aaron Rupar on X: “It doesn’t look like Mike Johnson’s text thread with Elon Musk is going that well.”Writer Wajahat Ali on X: “Rep. Mike Johnson is Learning the Hard way that Republicans Now Live in The United States of Musk. Mike Johnson and Republican elected officials are learning that their Faustian bargain for power now means they serve two masters: Donald Trump, a criminal, and Elon Musk, the richest man on Earth.”Donald Trump Jr. on X: “So the house is going to vote to protect itself from glaring and obvious wrongdoing? The American people didn’t vote for this. They voted for the opposite. They voted for transparency. This cannot pass.”Representative Byron Donalds, a Florida Republican, to CNN: “We will see the new power of Elon.”Senator Mitt Romney on X: “What does President Trump want Republicans to do: vote for the CR or shut down government? Absent direction, confusion reigns.”What Happens NextThe CR would fund the government through March 14, 2025. When it expires, Republicans would also have control of the presidency and Senate, likely giving them more room to include some conservative priorities, though their House margin will remain slim.A vote is expected to be held Thursday, but it’s unclear if the CR will have enough votes to pass amid the Republican rebellion against the bill.
