US Government Faces Partial Shutdown Amid Political Chaos and External Pressure

The US federal government is set to partially shut down at 12:01am ET on Saturday if a spending bill is not passed by Congress and signed by President Biden today. What was expected to be a smooth process has been complicated by President-elect Trump and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who has wielded significant influence over the Republican Party. 

U.S. Capitol

In Short

• House members, including 38 Republicans, rejected a spending plan endorsed by Donald Trump. The government will shut down at midnight if lawmakers cannot reach a deal.

• At Trump’s request, the plan included a two-year suspension of the debt ceiling, which some conservative members argued could lead to excessive government spending.

• Speaker Mike Johnson’s spending deal was undercut by Trump and Elon Musk, sparking renewed discussions about potentially ousting Johnson.

The situation began on Tuesday when GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a bipartisan spending plan to fund the government through March 14, but it included provisions unrelated to government funding, which angered right-wing Republicans and Musk. On Wednesday, Musk used his social media platform to criticize the bill, amplifying opposition. Trump escalated the situation by announcing his opposition to the bill on Wednesday evening. 

Trump then shifted his position on Thursday, demanding a bill that would either raise or eliminate the US debt ceiling, an unprecedented demand from a GOP leader. This led to the introduction of a revised bill championed by Trump and Musk, which aimed to avoid a shutdown, suspend the debt ceiling for two years, and include $110 billion in disaster aid. However, the bill failed to pass the House due to opposition from Republicans on the debt ceiling measure and near-universal Democratic rejection, accusing the GOP of bowing to Musk's influence.

If the shutdown occurs, federal employees would be furloughed, but essential workers like TSA and air traffic controllers would remain on duty without pay until the government is funded.