Speaker Mike Johnson has a massive new headache as he races to stop a holiday government shutdown — and his name is Elon Musk.
The tech scion and mega-ally of President-elect Donald Trump took to his social platform X on Wednesday to slam a short-term funding bill Johnson backed, criticizing the 1,547-page continuing resolution for its numerous unrelated spending measures — including a raise for lawmakers — and calling it “criminal,” “unconscionable” and a “crime against the American people.”
It started at 4:15 a.m. ET, when Musk posted on X “this bill should not pass.”
And he hasn’t let up since, repeatedly urging his nearly 208 million followers to call their representatives to “Stop the steal of your tax dollars!” and threatening that “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!”
That’s a problem for Johnson — a Republican and Trump ally himself who could face a gavel fight in January — who must clear the bill by Friday night to avoid a government shutdown at the peak of the holiday season.
And it’s an early loyalty test engineered by Musk, who will lead a “Department of Government Efficiency” under Trump focused on slicing costs throughout the federal government.
“Any Member who claims to support the @DOGE should not support this “CR of Inefficiency” that does not have offsets!!” said Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C), in a post Musk reposted. “Don’t get weak in the knees before we even get started!”
Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), who was in hot water in Trump world earlier this month over her wobbling support for the president-elect’s Pentagon pick Pete Hegseth, ripped the bill, saying on X “Congress deserves a lump of coal for failing to do its job and putting special interests ahead of taxpayers,” and emphasizing “We need @DOGE to cut the pork and #makeemsqueal!”
And Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) said on X: “So many members of Congress want the clout of working with @DOGE and @ElonMusk.”
Musk’s pleas — and threats — appear to be working.
“I think it’s having an effect on some people,” said Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), a staunch Trump ally and Freedom Caucus firebrand.
Asked whether Musk’s post was moving votes, Biggs replied: “I think it probably is.”
A slew of conservative House Republicans on Wednesday said they opposed the bill — as did Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, who in a joint-statement posted to X Wednesday afternoon said “we should pass a streamlined spending bill that doesn’t give Chuck Schumer and the Democrats everything they want.”
Earlier Wednesday afternoon, Johnson’s leadership team was trying to come up with a Plan B, “clean” funding package that would drop $100 billion disaster aid and other attachments, POLITICO reported.
But that doesn’t mean the speaker is safe. Johnson’s “got to go,” close Trump ally Steve Bannon said Wednesday.
“President Trump supports him until he doesn’t support him,” he added.
Spokespeople for Musk, X and his America PAC did not respond to questions.
Jordain Carney contributed to this report.