US: Trump rejects spending bill, sparking possible shutdown

Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Republicans to reject a bipartisan plan aimed at averting a government shutdown, throwing Congress into a spin as lawmakers prepare to head home for the holiday season.

The about face means that Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans must attempt to renegotiate a new deal or face a shutdown when federal funding ends on Friday. 

Trump and incoming Vice President JD Vance released a statement on Wednesday demanding Republicans to "get smart and tough."

"If Democrats threaten to shut down the government unless we give them everything they want, then call their bluff," the statement read, adding that any concessions would be seen as "a betrayal of our country."

Democrats were incensed at this latest move by Trump, who suggested raising the debt-limit — something his party has continuously railed against — to avert a crisis.

Trump later threatened the political fortunes of Republicans who didn't heed his warnings, writing in a post on Truth Social: "Any Republican that would be so stupid as to do this should, and will, be Primaried."

Democrats — 'you break it, you own the consequences'

Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said: "House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government and hurt the working people they claim to support," adding, "you break the bipartisan agreement, you own the consequences that follow."

GOP support for the bill was already beginning to falter before Trump chimed in, with far-right lawmakers and billionaire Trump funder and unelected government influencer Elon Musk threatening any Republicans who dared work with Democrats to keep the government running.

Musk — whom Trump appointed to lead the so-called Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE, which would, among other things, give the world's richest man a mandate to slash funding for government oversight and regulation — wrote on X, the social media platform he owns: "Any member of the House or the Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!"

The so-called continuing resolution or CR currently on the table would temporarily extend funding through March 14, 2025. The step is necessary as lawmakers failed to pass legislation to keep it operating normally during their term.

Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland was blunt in his criticism of the latest instance of Republican brinkmanship, saying this is what happens when "an oligarchy of a handful of wealthy people run everything and everyone is supposed to live in fear of them, and their wealth becomes an instrument of power over everything."

js/jsi (AFP, AP)