President-elect Donald Trump has voiced strong opposition to House Speaker Mike Johnson’s proposed spending bill, which seeks to avert a government shutdown on December 21. The nearly 1,500-page measure would fund the government until March 14 but has drawn backlash from conservative hardliners.
Elon Musk called the bill an “insane crime,” while Trump privately labeled it “bad” and, alongside Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, issued a public statement condemning it. Trump criticized provisions that allegedly protect records from the January 6 committee and increase Congressional pay, calling the bill a betrayal. He urged Republicans to reject “Democrat giveaways” and negotiate smarter.
Speaker Johnson defended the bill during an interview, highlighting its inclusion of $100 billion in emergency disaster relief and support for struggling farmers and ranchers. He argued that funding rural agriculture is essential to national security and emphasized the bill’s short-term nature, allowing Republicans to set fiscal priorities in 2025 under Trump’s leadership.
With conservatives divided and time running out, the bill faces an uncertain path, leaving the possibility of a shutdown hanging in the balance.
