A temporary bill to avert a U.S. government shutdown was opposed by Musk and publicly attacked by Trump and Vance, adding to the difficulty of passing the bill on Friday.
On Tuesday, in an effort to avert a government shutdown, Congress released the text of a stopgap funding bill that would fund the federal government through March. The temporary funding bill passed by the US Congress in September this year will expire on the 20th of this month, the US Congress must take new legislative action before this to continue to fund the federal government and avoid a government shutdown.
What happened?
The bill, which should have passed smoothly, has been slammed by the Trump camp, most notably by Musk, who will be co-chairman of Trump's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
On Wednesday, Musk blasted the bill in a series of more than two dozen posts on social media. He derided the 1,500-plus page bill as "the largest piece of meat barrel legislation ever" and called on members of Congress to vote against it.
He criticized the bill for including a pay raise for members of Congress, saying it was inappropriate at a time when many Americans are "struggling" for Christmas. Musk even threatened that any lawmaker who voted for this "outrageous spending bill" should be voted out of office in two years.
Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance have also publicly denounced the bill, arguing that Republicans should put the Democrats' bluff out of business and allow the government to shut down.
Trump said he opposed a bipartisan deal reached by congressional leaders to avert a partial government shutdown this weekend, insisting lawmakers rip up the deal and pass a narrower bill that preserves aid but waived other measures and raises the federal debt limit immediately ahead of the nation's borrowing limit deadline next year.
Why is it important?
With Musk and Trump opposed, it is uncertain whether the bill will pass before the deadline.
Musk has described the bill as a "crime," and his comments on the social media platform have already sparked divisions within the Republican Party and could influence how Republican lawmakers vote.
Some conservative lawmakers, such as Ralph Norman and Byron Donalds, have expressed support for Musk's position. However, there are also moderate lawmakers, such as Don Bacon, who believe Musk's judgment is "premature" and that the bill contains many Republican "wins."
Under pressure from the Trump camp, House Speaker Mike Johnson is in a tough spot. He said in a media interview that he had spoken with Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, the other co-chair of DOGE, to explain the background to the bill. With Democrats still in control of the Senate and the White House, this is the best Republicans can get for now, Johnson stressed. However, Johnson's explanation did not seem to reassure Musk and others.
The public battle over the temporary bill is also an early test of the political strength of Musk and DOGE, which he heads.
Some analysts believe that this incident could signal a new situation for the Republican Party next year. Musk and other Trump Allies are likely to wield influence on the party's legislative agenda, offering advice in private and then publicly foment opposition online and in conservative media when they are unhappy with the outcome.
The uproar over the spending bill is not only about whether the government can avoid a shutdown, but also a microcosm of the power game between the Trump camp and the traditional Republican Party. Musk has already shown his influence within the Republican Party and offered a preview of the direction of the Trump administration.