President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday slammed House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) proposed spending deal to keep the government open, saying that it was a capitulation to what Democrats want and that it needed to be stopped.
Trump made the remarks in a statement posted to Truth Social as Elon Musk pressed Republicans to oppose the bill, calling it “one of the worst bills ever written.”
“Congress is considering a spending bill that would give sweetheart provisions for government censors and for Liz Cheney,” Trump said. “The bill would make it easier to hide the records of the corrupt January 6 committee—which accomplished nothing for the American people and hid security failures that happened that day. This bill would also give Congress a pay increase while many Americans are struggling this Christmas.”
The stopgap measure seeks to provide funds through March 14, 2025, and more than $100 billion in disaster aid. It also has provisions geared toward boosting farmers, health care reform, rebuilding Maryland’s devastated Francis Scott Key Bridge, a pay raise for Congress, and more.
Trump said that Congressional Republicans made a serious mistake by allowing the debt ceiling to be reached during 2025, after he takes office, and that the issue needed to be dealt with now.
“Increasing the debt ceiling is not great but we’d rather do it on Biden’s watch,” he said. “If Democrats won’t cooperate on the debt ceiling now, what makes anyone think they would do it in June during our administration? Let’s have this debate now. And we should pass a streamlined spending bill that doesn’t give Chuck Schumer and the Democrats everything they want.”
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“Republicans want to support our farmers, pay for disaster relief, and set our country up for success in 2025,” he continued. “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.”
Trump called on Republicans to get “smart and tough” and learn how to play hardball with Democrats.
“If Democrats threaten to shut down the government unless we give them everything they want, then CALL THEIR BLUFF,” he added. “It is Schumer and Biden who are holding up aid to our farmers and disaster relief.”
He concluded by saying that the chaos happening in D.C. was a direct result of having a weak leader in President Joe Biden.
Daniel Chaitin contributed to this report.
