Trump-backed spending bill voted down in the House with shutdown looming

President-elect Trump early Friday called for Congress to either get rid of or extend the debt ceiling, possibly through 2029.

“Congress must get rid of, or extend out to, 2029, the ridiculous Debt Ceiling,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Without this, we should never make a deal. Remember, the pressure is on whoever is President.”

The post comes hours after House lawmakers rejected a Trump-backed plan to fund operations and suspend the debt ceiling.

Earlier Thursday, Trump was touting “SUCCESS in Washington!” in coming up with the new plan that would keep government running for three more months, add more than $100 billion in disaster assistance and allow more borrowing through Jan. 30, 2027.

Lawmakers have until Friday at midnight to pass a new budget plan. 

House Speaker Mike Johnson told Fox News Friday that “we’re expecting votes this morning” and “we’ve got a plan” ahead of an anticipated meeting with Vice President-elect JD Vance and members of the House Freedom Caucus. 

Vance, Johnson and members of the caucus — some of whom voted against the Trump-backed bill last night aimed at averting a partial government shutdown – are expected to gather on Capitol Hill to try to resolve the spending bill deadlock, a source familiar with the planning told Fox News. 

Russ Vought, who is Trump’s pick to run the Office of Management and Budget, also was seen walking into Speaker Johnson’s office this morning. 

He did not respond when asked by Fox News whether he thinks they can avoid a government shutdown.

President Biden’s disappearance while negotiations continue over a spending bill to fund the government past Friday is just fine with Democrats, according to a new report. 

“Biden has remained conspicuously absent outside a brief statement issued by his press secretary — and for now, Democrats said there was little clamor for him to return,” Politico reported Thursday, one day after Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump scuttled the first bipartisan spending bill.

The article said that despite the scramble to avert a government shutdown, “no one seemed to be looking to Biden for answers — and the lame-duck president gave no indication he had any desire to provide them.”

“I haven’t gotten any message from President Biden, or heard of anything that he’s saying,” California Democratic Rep. Mark Takano told Politico, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wouldn’t say he’s been in touch with Biden, only that he’s been in “close contact with the administration.”

As Politico put it, “Democrats appeared largely fine with Biden taking a back seat.”

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., posted on her X account early Friday morning that there is “no plan to cut a deal with Dems” in order to pass the spending bill after two days of chaos on Capitol Hill.

At 12:43 a.m., Luna wrote that discussions are ongoing and voting is set to take place at around 10 a.m. Friday, adding that she will post more details in the morning but lawmakers are “getting this done.”

“Sticking to Trump’s plan + some (where cuts can come from),” she wrote, in part. “No plan to cut a deal with Dems.”

Luna said earlier Thursday evening that she was optimistic a shutdown could be avoided.

Lawmakers have to come to a decision by 11:59 p.m. Friday in order for that to happen.

Source: foxnews.com