Late Tuesday night, lawmakers introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at preventing a government shutdown, a move that has provoked outrage among Republicans directed at Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
Following the release of the 1,547-page bill, Elon Musk expressed his discontent on his social media platform X, declaring that the “bill should not pass” and labeling it as a substantial “piece of pork.”
If the legislation is approved, it will extend the funding deadline to March 14, providing the incoming Congress and president additional time to determine the government’s financial framework for most of the upcoming year.
Johnson’s group text with Musk highlights tensions over government spending strategies
Joining a chorus of GOP critics apprehensive about increasing the national debt, Musk, the world’s wealthiest individual, co-leads a new advisory panel for President-elect Trump called the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), which seeks to reduce government expenditure and streamline bureaucracy.
Johnson noted that he had conversations with Musk and tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, who co-leads DOGE, regarding the contentious legislation.
“I communicated with Elon last night. He, Vivek, and I are on a group text, and I was detailing the situation to them. Vivek and I spoke late into the night,” Johnson stated on Fox News’s “Fox and Friends.” “He acknowledged the predicament, saying, ‘Look, I get it. We understand you’re in an impossible position. Everybody knows that.’”
“They see the broader picture. They said, ‘It’s not aimed at you, Mr. Speaker, but we disapprove of the spending.’ To that, I replied, ‘You know what, gentlemen? I feel the same way,’” Johnson added.
Johnson stressed that the bill is intended to “clear the decks” for Trump and the Republican majorities in Congress to pursue their fiscal objectives in the coming year. “We need to finalize this to avoid a shutdown. We’re securing short-term funding and aiming for March, when we can influence the spending. That’s when the changes will begin,” he explained.
Prior to the bill’s awareness, several GOP House members expressed their discontent, claiming it contradicts DOGE’s mission. “It runs counter to the objectives of the DOGE commission. Am I going to vote for it? No,” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) told reporters on Tuesday.
“It’s disappointing that people who support the DOGE initiative, like me, find ourselves in a position to vote for yet another billion dollars added to the deficit. It’s quite ironic. I’m personally let down,” remarked Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.).
As Musk becomes more integrated into Trump’s inner circle, he has increasingly engaged with congressional matters. Last week, he provided last-minute backing for a child online safety bill that had stalled in the House due to conservative objections.
The Kids Online Safety Act, however, did not make it into the funding package, and Johnson indicated that he intends to address the issue once Republicans regain control of both chambers of Congress and the White House.
