The federal government is on the brink of a shutdown as lawmakers scramble to salvage a budget agreement that collapsed unexpectedly late Thursday. The unraveling came after billionaire tech mogul Elon Musk publicly criticized and dismissed key elements of a bipartisan deal, leading to an uproar among lawmakers.
The deal, which had been painstakingly negotiated to avert a Friday midnight deadline, was torpedoed when Musk used his platform on X (formerly Twitter) to call the compromise “an exercise in futility” and suggest an alternative plan that lawmakers described as unfeasible. The backlash from his comments emboldened hardline factions in Congress, many of whom quickly withdrew their support.
“Instead of bridging divides, Musk has exacerbated them,” said Senator Laura Morales (D-NY). “This is not how governance works.”
Republicans and Democrats alike expressed frustration at the billionaire’s influence over public discourse and policy debates. Some suggested Musk’s remarks undermined public confidence in the compromise, which included funding for key federal agencies and programs.
Democrats and other critics started calling Musk Trump’s ‘shadow president’ after his rant on X against the bill — and convincing Trump to squash the deal.
CNN’s Erin Burnett likened Musk’s situation to “when Icarus flew too close to the sun.”
Musk, who has increasingly inserted himself into political debates, defended his statements, saying, “I’m simply advocating for smarter use of taxpayer money.” However, critics argue his interjection came at the worst possible moment, complicating efforts to avoid a shutdown.
With time running out, lawmakers face a steep challenge to draft a new agreement that can pass both chambers of Congress. If a resolution isn’t reached by midnight Friday, essential government services could come to a halt, furloughing hundreds of thousands of federal employees and disrupting key operations across the country.
“Republicans need to stop playing politics with this bipartisan agreement or they will hurt hardworking Americans and create instability across the country,” a statement from White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre read Wednesday. “President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance ordered Republicans to shut down the government and they are threatening to do just that—while undermining communities recovering from disasters, farmers and ranchers, and community health centers.” The statement went on to note all the parties at risk if the government were to shut down, including families, veterans, and Social Security recipients. “A deal is a deal,” the statement concluded. “Republicans should keep their word.”