The White House on Wednesday blasted President-elect Trump and Republicans for sinking a proposed government spending deal, raising the possibility of a shutdown.
“Republicans need to stop playing politics with this bipartisan agreement or they will hurt hardworking Americans and create instability across the country,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
Jean-Pierre accused Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance of encouraging Republicans to shut down the government by opposing a compromise spending deal introduced Tuesday by congressional leaders.
”Triggering a damaging government shutdown would hurt families who are gathering to meet with their loved ones and endanger the basic services Americans from veterans to Social Security recipients rely on,” Jean-Pierre said. “A deal is a deal. Republicans should keep their word.”
Trump and Vance earlier Wednesday called for Republicans to approve a clean stopgap funding bill paired with a hike to the debt ceiling, saying the previous government-funding measure negotiated by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) should be torpedoed.
In a lengthy statement issued amid growing opposition to the Johnson bill from Trump allies and House Republicans, Vance and Trump said lawmakers should pass a “streamlined spending bill that doesn’t give Chuck Schumer and the Democrats everything they want.”
The government is set to shut down on Saturday unless lawmakers can pass a funding measure through the House and Senate by then.
Trump’s comments come after several of his allies and a slew of House Republicans spent the day venting about the roughly 1,500 page bill, which was unveiled Tuesday evening.
GOP opposition was centered on a number of add-ons to the continuation of government funding through March 14.
The add-ons included disaster assistance for hurricane damage and an extension of existing farm legislation in addition to a health care deal that includes reforms to the pharmacy benefit manager industry and a provision that could set the stage for the Washington Commanders to return to playing their home games in D.C. instead of Maryland.
