President-elect Donald Trump has demanded a government shutdown to force Congress to raise the nation's debt limit. This unexpected move has thrown the legislative process into chaos as lawmakers scramble to avert a shutdown before a Friday deadline.
By Lisa Mascaro and Kevin Freking, Associated PressPresident-elect Donald Trump speaks during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, Monday, Dec. 16, 2024, in Palm Beach, Fla. Wednesday to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown , instead telling House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans to essentially renegotiate — days before a deadline when federal funding runs out.
The outcome comes as no surprise for Johnson, who like other Republican House speakers before him, has been unable to convince his majority to go along with the routine needs of federal government operations, which they would prefer to slash. “What does President Trump want Republicans to do: vote for the CR or shut down government? Absent direction, confusion reigns,” said retiring Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, in a sly post on X.
“The sooner Congress acts, the better,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said as he opened the upper chamber. “As always, bipartisan cooperation must lead the way – we can’t have last minute delays or grandstanding.”
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