President-elect Donald Trump weighs in on House Speaker Mike Johnson's tumultuous week amid a contentious spending bill debate.
According to the Washington Examiner, Trump has offered conditional support to House Speaker Mike Johnson, whose leadership position faces uncertainty after House Republicans rejected a continuing resolution to fund the government.
The rejection of the thousand-page continuing resolution has placed Johnson in a precarious position, particularly as it contained additional unrelated funding and would have extended government funding levels until mid-March 2025. The situation intensified when tech billionaire Elon Musk, Trump, and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance publicly denounced the spending bill, leading House GOP leadership to cancel the scheduled vote on Wednesday evening.
Trump delivered his message to Johnson through Fox News Digital, laying out specific conditions for his continued support. His statement reflected a measured approach to Johnson's leadership while emphasizing the need for decisive action.
Trump said:
If the speaker acts decisively, and tough, and gets rid of all of the traps being set by the Democrats, which will economically and, in other ways, destroy our country, he will easily remain speaker.
In a separate NBC News interview, Trump's support appeared less certain when he responded with "We'll see" regarding Johnson's future as speaker. He also criticized the funding deal, describing it as "unacceptable" and a "Democrat trap."
The spending bill's rejection has created significant time pressure for lawmakers, with a potential government shutdown looming if no agreement is reached by Friday at midnight. The shutdown would begin at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, creating an unwelcome crisis during the holiday season.
The House Freedom Caucus has emerged as one of the deal's strongest opponents, particularly criticizing provisions that include congressional pay raises, over $100 billion in natural disaster aid, and $10 billion for farmer assistance. These objections have complicated efforts to reach a compromise before the deadline.
Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have pushed back against potential blame for a shutdown. They maintain that Republicans would bear responsibility for any negative consequences resulting from their rejection of the bipartisan agreement.
Johnson's position as House Speaker hangs in the balance, with a crucial speaker vote scheduled for January 3, 2025. The outcome of the current funding crisis could significantly influence his chances of maintaining leadership.
Trump and Vice President-elect Vance released a joint statement addressing the debt ceiling issue, suggesting a preference for addressing these challenges during Biden's administration rather than waiting until their potential return to office. They emphasized the importance of streamlining spending without giving in to Democratic demands.
Both Trump and Democratic leadership have staked out clear positions on responsibility for a potential shutdown, with each side attempting to shift blame to the other.
The ongoing dispute over government funding has placed House Speaker Mike Johnson in a difficult position, caught between Trump's conditional support and the pressing need to prevent a government shutdown. The situation has become particularly critical as the Friday midnight deadline approaches, with both Republican and Democratic leadership maintaining opposing stances on the spending bill and its implications.
