Trump’s Inauguration Looms Amidst Political Turmoil and Chaos
As Trump prepares for his inauguration, chaos unfolds in Washington with looming government shutdowns and market instability
Donald Trump, Elon Musk, Government Shutdown, Washington, Congress, DACA, Federal Reserve
Washington: Everything seemed to be going well for Donald Trump. He had just won the election and was rallying his party behind his Cabinet choices. Public approval was decent, and he was promising a booming economy. Big names in tech and foreign leaders were eager to connect with him.
But then, things took a turn on Wednesday. Two big shocks hit, throwing Washington into a frenzy. Republicans are now scrambling to prevent a government shutdown while dealing with a market drop right before the holidays.
As Americans wrapped up their holiday shopping, the Federal Reserve decided to cut interest rates, which sent the markets tumbling. At the same time, Trump’s close ally, Elon Musk, criticized a spending bill supported by Speaker Mike Johnson, threatening any GOP member who backed it.
Trump joined in, insisting Congress raise the debt ceiling. Now, Johnson has less than 40 hours to avert a government shutdown. It feels a bit like 2017 when Republicans barely managed to pass a last-minute resolution just before Christmas after a tough battle over DACA and disaster relief.
This time, though, some Republican leaders, including Musk, are saying a shutdown might not be so bad. Musk even tweeted that no bills should be passed until Trump takes office on January 20.
Some GOP members are echoing this sentiment, with Rep. Tim Burchett suggesting they should just shut it down. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is also on board, saying she’s all for a shutdown until Trump is in office.
However, government shutdowns are usually not popular with voters. A shutdown could be a rough start for the GOP just a month before Trump’s inauguration. Some Republicans are even floating Musk as a potential House leader, which could complicate things for Speaker Johnson.
On Thursday morning, Johnson and Trump’s team were in talks about a stopgap plan that would include disaster aid and delay the debt limit fight. They have until midnight Friday to sort it out.
Meanwhile, Democrats are watching closely. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticized GOP lawmakers for “playing politics,” warning that a shutdown would hurt hardworking Americans and create instability.
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also weighed in, saying that if Republicans break an agreement to keep the government running, they’ll have to face the consequences.
As of now, Trump’s transition team hasn’t commented on the situation.