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The White House has criticized President-elect Donald Trump and his party for opposing a bipartisan government funding agreement, warning that their actions risk triggering a government shutdown that could harm millions of Americans.
Some shit you should know before you read: Yesterday, House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a roughly 1,500-page government funding bill designed to avoid a shutdown and extend funding through March 14, which included provisions for disaster relief, farm legislation extensions, and healthcare reforms. President-elect Donald Trump rejected the measure, criticizing it as overly accommodating to Senate Democrats. Alongside Vice President-elect JD Vance, Trump called for a “streamlined” funding bill that excludes these additional provisions and ties funding to a hike in the debt ceiling.
What’s going on now: Despite having less than a month left in office, the White House sharply criticized President-elect Donald Trump and Republicans for their opposition to a bipartisan spending deal, accusing them of prioritizing politics over the welfare of Americans. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated, “Republicans need to stop playing politics with this bipartisan agreement, or they will hurt hardworking Americans and create instability across the country.” She emphasized the potential consequences of a government shutdown, warning it would “hurt families who are gathering to meet with their loved ones and endanger the basic services Americans from veterans to Social Security recipients rely on.”
Jean-Pierre also accused Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance of encouraging Republicans to abandon a compromise, saying their actions would sabotage essential government operations. “Triggering a damaging government shutdown would hurt families and undermine trust in the bipartisan processes that keep the country running,” she said. “A deal is a deal. Republicans should keep their word.”
This all comes as the government faces the looming possibility of a shutdown, which would occur at midnight on Friday if lawmakers fail to pass a funding measure. A shutdown would result in the suspension of non-essential government operations, disrupting services that millions of Americans rely on, such as Social Security processing, veterans’ benefits, and disaster assistance. Federal employees deemed non-essential would also be furloughed, leaving critical agencies understaffed, while those in essential roles, such as border patrol and air traffic control, would work without pay.
