White House warns government agencies to prepare for shutdown after spending bills fail: Live updates
Frustrated speaker Mike Johnson forced to return to drawing board once again after second bill defeated in House of Representatives by 235 votes to 174
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.House Speaker Mike Johnson and congressional Republicans are scrambling to find a new deal to avert a US government shutdown before federal funding runs out at midnight on Friday.
The White House Office of Management and Budget has already begun warning government agencies to prepare for the worst.
The Capitol has meanwhile been wracked with confusion this morning, with members offering mixed messages as they left the speaker’s office on the prospect of progress.
The crisis erupted after Johnson’s second congressional spending bill, drafted at the insistence of Donald Trump to include a suspension of the debt limit and remove a number of concessions to Democrats, was comprehensively defeated in the House of Representatives on Thursday night by 235 votes to 174.
The result was a major embarrassment for the incoming president, Elon Musk and the GOP that leaves the government once more hurtling towards an impasse.
The president-elect responded by complaining in a statement: “Nearly every single House Democrat just voted against government funding and to shut down the government.
“These 197 Democrats voted against keeping the government open, disaster relief, and aid for farmers.”
Elon Musk lashes out as he gets first taste of political failure when spending deal voted down
Network of lawyers and advocates being built to support those targeted by vengeful Trump
Americans view both Musk and Trump equally favorably, says new poll
ICE’s $230m budget shortfall might delay Trump’s mass deportation plans
Vladimir Putin: I am ready to talk Ukraine with Trump
In between boasts about Russia’s military achievements in his annual marathon televised news conference, Putin said yesterday he is ready to compromise over Ukraine in possible talks on ending his war and has no conditions for starting discussions.
The Russian president also told one reporter he was ready to meet Donald Trump, who he said he had not spoken to for years, despite speculation to the contrary.
Alastair Jamieson reports.
Vladimir Putin: I am ready to talk to Trump over Ukraine
The Russian president told one reporter he was ready to meet Donald Trump, who he said he had not spoken to for years
Christmas ad for Trump’s $60 Bibles airs on conservative media
A Christmas-themed version of Donald Trump’s video advert promoting his “God Bless the USA” Bibles has been spotted airing on conservative media ahead of the holiday season.
The president-elect began selling the religious texts – co-endorsed by the country music star Lee Greenwood, whose patriotic anthem “God Save the USA” was a staple at Trump’s campaign rallies – back in March, retailing for $59.99.
“We must defend God in the public square and not allow the media or the left-wing groups to silence, censor, or discriminate against us,” Trump declares in the revived video, which was posted on X by social media personality Aaron Rupar after noticing it on Fox News.
The promo now comes with added baubles and a piano version of “O Come Let Us Adore him” playing in the background.
It was not immediately clear whether Trump’s team created or officially endorsed the ad.
Trump narrates Christmas ad for $60 Trump-themed bibles as legal bill looms
Donald Trump fronted a Christmas advertisement for a $59.99 (£47.98) “God Bless the USA Bible” before his return to the White House in January. “We must defend God in the public square and not allow the media or the left-wing groups to silence, censor, or discriminate against us,” the president-elect said in the vidieo. The bible’s title is inspired by Lee Greenwood’s ballad that Mr Trump plays at his rallies. It comes as Mr Trump faces a hefty legal bill while he fights four criminal indictments and a series of civil charges — on Monday, a New York appeals court agreed to pause collecting the more than $454m he owes after a civil fraud judgment if he pays $175m within 10 days.
Elon Musk lashes out as he gets first taste of political failure when spending deal voted down
Here’s more on the Big Tech boss’s humiliation on Capitol Hill last night, an experience he will not have been used to or enjoyed.
Elon Musk lashes out as he gets first taste of political failure
Big Tech billionaire humiliated on Capitol Hill after meddling leads to pre-Christmas chaos for lawmakers as government shutdown looms
Farmers, business owners, homeowners face uncertainty after $100bn in disaster relief flounders
Here’s a look at the serious real-world consequences of last night’s ludicrous political theatre in DC, which is no joke to working Americans.
Farmers, business owners, homeowners face uncertainty after $100B in disaster relief flounders
American farmers and small business owners are among those who will suffer if Congress cannot agree on a new spending bill after President-elect Donald Trump abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan that included more than $100 billion in disaster aid
Watch: Fox pundit Jessica Tarlov slams Musk for opposing bipartisan cancer research funding
Marjorie Taylor Greene, Rand Paul back Musk for House speaker
Surely nothing this ridiculous could actually happen – or could it?
Here’s more from Josh Marcus.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, Rand Paul back Elon Musk as House speaker
Republicans line up behind Musk as Democrats hammer GOP for unelected ‘President Musk’
Trump backs Johnson amid calls for his ouster over shutdown debacle
The president-elect (so far) isn’t joining calls from some in his party to replace Speaker Johnson at the start of the next Congress, although things are movingly quickly and last night will not have helped the Louisana Republican’s cause.
Johnson won the gavel last October after a protracted fight following the ouster of former speaker Kevin McCarthy – an event touched off by McCarthy’s decision to allow a vote to fund the government on a bipartisan basis rather than forcing a shutdown until passage of a party-line bill more acceptable to hardline conservatives.
Here’s more from Andrew Feinberg on Trump’s current support for Johnson, which may well not last.
Trump backs Johnson amid calls for his ouster over shutdown debacle
President-elect says Speaker should keep his post if he moves legislation to raise the statutory debt ceiling
Trump threatens primary challenge to Chip Roy for breaking ranks
The president-elect issued that threat against the deeply conservative Texas GOP congressman yesterday, calling him a “Republican obstructionist” seeking only “cheap publicity for himself”:
Unbowed, Roy responed on social media and then castigated his “asinine” party on the House floor for lacking “an ounce of self-respect” as he voted down the bill:
Democrat tells Republicans: ‘Put on your big boy pants’
The opposition needs to avoid gloating here as the consequences of a federal shutdown are no laughing matter for the American people but the current chaos is also an unmissable opportunity to draw attention to Republican dysfunction.
“Put on your big boy pants,” Florida Representative Jared Moskowitz told the GOP in the House yesterday, just days after he was reported to be Trump’s choice to run FEMA (and politely declined).
“Pass your own bill. We’re only here because you guys can’t agree amongst yourselves.”
Speaking in the aftermath of yesterday’s disaster, Moskowitz’s Texas colleague Jasmine Crockett told MSNBC: “I’m just gonna sit back. We’re looking at this like, this is their problem.”
She continued: “We have seen this play out over and over in the entire two years that I’ve been in Congress.
“But here’s the deal: There is no fixing this without the Democrats.
“We have seen this over and over, and I’m just gonna sit back and sip my tea and wait on them to figure it out.”
Team Trump slaps back at claims Musk is running the show
California Democratic Representative Barbara Lee warned on CNN last night that allowing Elon Musk to “run our government really has grave consequences on the American people”.
Comments like that over the last 24 hours have forced Trump’s tranisition team to insist that it is the president-elect who is really in charge of their incoming administration, not Musk, a humiliating business for all concerned and very much not a good look for the administration exactly one month before it takes office.
Here’s more from Rhian Lubin.
Team Trump slaps back at claims Elon Musk is running the show
Democrats have mocked the tech billionaire’s big-foot influence with the incoming administration
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments