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Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and the world’s richest person, intensified his influence over U.S. politics on Wednesday, urging Republicans in Congress to reject a
stopgap spending bill
that could lead to a partial
government shutdown
. Musk, a major supporter of President-elect Donald Trump, has been tapped to help prune the federal government and voiced his strong opposition to the measure, which would keep the government funded past Friday.
Musk took to X (formerly Twitter), calling the bill “criminal” and demanding lawmakers vote against it, claiming that no laws should pass until Trump returns to the White House in January. He also warned that any lawmaker who votes to extend government funding should be voted out of office. His comments came just days before the federal government is set to run out of money on Saturday, which could disrupt critical services, from air travel to law enforcement, just days before the Christmas holiday.
“This criminal bill should NOT pass,” Musk wrote on X, the platform he owns.
While Musk’s influence is significant, some House Republicans are already planning to vote in favor of the bill. A tentative agreement, reached on Tuesday, would extend funding through March 14 and maintain the roughly $6.2 trillion
federal budget
. It also includes $100.4 billion in
disaster aid
and $10 billion in economic relief for farmers. However, Musk’s pressure campaign threatens to complicate efforts to secure its passage.
Opposition from key republicans
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole acknowledged that Musk’s opposition could have a significant impact. “They are very influential guys, and people put a lot of stock in what they are saying,” Cole said, referring to Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, another Trump ally who also opposes the deal.
However, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson attempted to downplay the conflict. In an interview with Fox News, he explained that despite Musk and Ramaswamy’s opposition, the bill was necessary to keep the government operating until Trump and his fellow Republicans take full control of Congress in January. “Elon and Vivek and I are on a text chain together,” Johnson said, noting that he had explained the situation to both men. “They understand the situation.”
A divided GOP
Despite the pressure from Musk, many House Republicans said they would vote for the stopgap bill. Representative Glenn Thompson, who chairs the House Agriculture Committee, expressed concern that Musk may not understand the impact on farmers and disaster victims. “I'm not sure he understands the plight of working people when it comes especially to farmers and people devastated by disasters,” Thompson said. He predicted the bill would pass “with plenty of votes.”
Republican leadership is also exploring ways to move the bill forward, potentially using a procedural maneuver that bypasses hardline members of their party. This method would require a two-thirds majority rather than the usual simple majority.
Shutdown looms
If Congress fails to act, a government shutdown could disrupt a wide range of services, including those related to Musk’s business interests, such as the Pentagon and NASA. The looming shutdown raises the stakes for Congress to act quickly, with only days remaining to avoid the disruption.
Democrats respond
Democratic leaders have criticized Musk’s push to delay government action until Trump assumes office, accusing him of adding unnecessary chaos to an already tense political environment. Democratic Representative Ro Khanna described Musk’s proposal as a “dangerous” move that would harm American citizens. “What we need to do is fund government,” Khanna told Reuters. “It’s a good test of who the responsible party is to fund government before the holidays.”
Trump’s influence
Former President Trump has previously supported government shutdowns, including during his first term, which saw the longest shutdown in U.S. history from December 2018 to January 2019. Trump advisers did not respond to requests for comment on Musk’s latest push.
Confusion among Republicans
As the deadline to avoid a shutdown approaches, some Republican lawmakers, such as retiring Senator Mitt Romney, have called for clearer guidance from Trump on whether to support the bill. “Absent direction, confusion reigns,” Romney wrote on X.
With the government on the brink of shutdown, the next few days will determine whether Musk’s influence can push the
Republican Party
into alignment or if Congress will take the necessary steps to avert disruption before the Christmas holiday.
