Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who had earlier expressed skepticism over Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) latest plan, shifted his stance after the passage of a spending package to avert a government shutdown.
What Happened: Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Musk praised Johnson's efforts saying, "The Speaker did a good job here, given the circumstances. It went from a bill that weighed pounds to a bill that weighed ounces."
Musk had previously questioned whether Johnson's plan, which involved a vote on the failed bill without a debt ceiling provision, was more aligned with Republicans or Democrats.
On Friday, the House of Representatives passed a stopgap funding measure, narrowly avoiding a government shutdown just hours before the deadline.
Following the passage of a spending package to avert a government shutdown, House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said, “House Democrats have successfully stopped extreme MAGA Republicans from shutting down the government, crashing the economy, and hurting working-class Americans all across the land.”
In response to Jeffries' comments, Musk sarcastically congratulated him on the spending bill victory. His post featured a stack of documents split into two piles—one significantly larger than the other—seemingly critiquing the complexity of legislative processes.
Why It Matters: The House’s decision came after a week of intense Republican infighting.
Speaker Johnson had initially brokered a bipartisan funding deal with Democrats, but it was derailed by opposition from both President-elect Donald Trump and Musk.
“Your elected representatives have heard you and now the terrible bill is dead. The voice of the people has triumphed,” the tech mogul posted on X at the time.
To avoid a government shutdown set for midnight on Friday, Republican leaders unveiled a “Plan C.”
This strategy involved holding separate votes on three crucial measures: a short-term funding bill to extend government operations for three months, a $100 billion disaster relief package, and a $10 billion farm aid bill.
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