House Dems fume over spending drama, complain Elon isn’t running show
House Democrats were left fuming on Thursday after a bipartisan spending bill deal brokered by House Speaker Mike Johnson collapsed, with many pointing fingers at the influence of Elon Musk and others in Trump’s orbit. The drama unfolded just hours before the deadline to pass the bill, leaving Democrats disappointed and Republicans accused of taking cues from the billionaire X owner.
Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York went so far as to label Elon Musk as “President Musk” during a press conference, expressing outrage at the last-minute interference that derailed the negotiated agreement. “For the Republicans, for President Musk to come in at the last moment and blow up the deal is just intolerable,” Nadler said. “You have to negotiate and be able to enforce what you’re negotiating, and what was negotiated was a very good deal for the American people.”
The frustration among House Democrats was palpable, with Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts lamenting Speaker Johnson’s handling of the situation, comparing Musk to a de facto president and Trump to a vice president. Rep. Greg Casar of Texas echoed this sentiment, questioning why Trump doesn’t just hand over the Oval Office to Musk if he wants the billionaire to run the country.
House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts became emotional as she spoke about the impact of the stalled negotiations on her constituents, many of whom are in need of disaster aid and Small Business Administration loans. She criticized Republicans for failing to prioritize these critical funds in previous spending bills, leaving people in her district in dire straits.
The chaos and dysfunction surrounding the spending bill negotiations were not lost on Democrats, who emphasized the real-world impacts on hardworking individuals. The contentious role played by Elon Musk in derailing the deal further underscored the need for responsible and effective governance.
As House Democrats regrouped and assessed the fallout from the failed negotiations, Musk’s team remained silent in response to the accusations leveled against him. The ongoing power struggle between political leaders and influential figures like Musk highlights the challenges of governance in an era dominated by larger-than-life personalities.
Breanne Deppisch, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, continues to cover the evolving dynamics of the 2024 election and national news developments. As the dust settles on the spending bill debacle, the repercussions of this high-stakes showdown reverberate throughout Washington, leaving both parties grappling with the fallout.
