With a potential government shutdown just days away, Senate Democrats are pointing fingers at Elon Musk, criticizing his role in the collapse of the initial short-term spending bill. They've labeled him with titles like "co-president" and "shadow speaker," alleging his influence over President-elect Trump led to the bill's demise. The original bipartisan agreement fell apart after Musk and Trump publicly denounced it.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, for example, expressed concern over Musk's apparent sway, stating, "He seems to be the guy in charge of the country now." Other Democrats echoed this sentiment, with Sen. John Fetterman referring to Musk as the "shadow speaker of the House" and Sen. Raphael Warnock claiming Republicans were "listening to Co-President Musk and co-President Trump." Sen. Mark Kelly emphasized that Musk holds no elected office, raising questions about his level of involvement in critical government decisions.
Musk's critique of the 1,547-page spending bill, posted on X (formerly Twitter), highlighted what he considered unnecessary provisions and excessive length. This criticism, along with similar remarks from Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, ultimately derailed the bill. Democrats expressed frustration with Musk's ability to influence Republican leadership, while some Republicans countered that Musk doesn't control Trump's decisions.
The looming shutdown underscores the urgency of passing a funding measure before the Saturday deadline. As the national debt continues to rise, the debate over government spending intensifies. Meanwhile, Trump's appointment of Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), focused on reducing government waste, adds another layer of complexity to the situation.
