In a controversial move late Friday, House Speaker Mike Johnson struck a deal with Democrat leaders to avoid a government shutdown, drawing sharp criticism from conservative allies and supporters of President-elect Donald Trump. The agreement, which extends federal funding through March, provides substantial disaster relief and agricultural aid but omits Trump’s demand for a debt ceiling increase or abolition.
The 118-page spending package maintains current government funding levels, allocates $100 billion for disaster relief, and provides $10 billion for agricultural assistance. However, it notably avoids addressing the debt ceiling, a key priority for Trump, who has argued that extending or abolishing it is crucial to preventing future political brinkmanship.
Trump’s Strong Words on the Debt Ceiling
Trump did not hold back in reiterating his stance. On Thursday, he emphasized the importance of addressing the debt ceiling, stating, “A VERY important piece, VITAL to the America First Agenda, was added as well – The date of the very unnecessary Debt Ceiling will be pushed out two years, to January 30, 2027. Now we can Make America Great Again, very quickly, which is what the People gave us a mandate to accomplish.”
By Friday, Trump doubled down, urging Congress to take decisive action. “Congress must get rid of, or extend out to, perhaps, 2029, the ridiculous Debt Ceiling. Without this, we should never make a deal. Remember, the pressure is on whoever is President,” Trump wrote.
Despite these warnings, Speaker Johnson’s deal moved forward without addressing Trump’s call for action, sparking backlash from conservative factions within the GOP.
Conservative Criticism and Party Fractures
Critics within the Republican Party accused Johnson of capitulating to Democrat demands and abandoning conservative priorities. Representative Thomas Massie was particularly vocal, pointing out that Johnson initially planned to split the spending package into multiple bills—a strategy conservatives favored. However, after meeting with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Johnson pivoted, opting for an all-encompassing deal to secure Democrat votes.
Massie took to social media to criticize the decision, saying, “This was in fact correct when you tweeted it, but Speaker Johnson flipped his decision after the meeting when he spoke to Hakeem Jeffries and realized he could get Democrat votes to pass all the legislation as…
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