After billionaire ally Elon Musk helped tank bipartisan deal to fund the government, critics trolled President-elect Donald Trump by using the name "President Musk," suggesting that Trump isn't actually the one calling the shots as the nation's chief executive to be.
Yesterday, Musk played a key role in leading a revolt against a bipartisan funding bill, directly challenging House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican leaders who helped craft the legislation. The revolt plunged budget negotiations into disarray, increasing the likelihood of a government shutdown this weekend.
Throughout the day, Musk posted about the funding bill on X more than 100 times. He repeatedly described the bill as “criminal” and urged his followers to contact their representatives.
Ultimately, Republicans rejected Johnson's proposal for a three-month stopgap funding extension, known as a continuing resolution (CR), which includes over $100 billion in aid for natural disaster relief, bipartisan healthcare policy reforms, and various other provisions.
Johnson has yet to present a backup plan, and sources familiar with the ongoing discussions indicated that the next steps remain uncertain. To pass a funding extension, leaders would require substantial bipartisan support—and Trump’s backing. Without an extension, most federal operations would come to a halt at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, although the full impact of a shutdown wouldn’t be felt until Monday.
Amid all this, Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders trolled Trump by suggesting that "President Musk" is the one really in charge:
"The US Congress this week came to an agreement to fund our government. Elon Musk, who became $200 BILLION richer since Trump was elected, objected."
"Are Republicans beholden to the American people? Or President Musk? This is oligarchy at work."
You can see his post below.
And it stuck. The hashtag #PresidentMusk soon began to trend—and many pointed out that it sure seems like the thin-skinned Trump isn't actually at the top of the incoming administration after all.
The optics already don't look good for Trump, who took hours to issue a statement about the funding bill as Musk waged his incendiary campaign to tank it.
Trump urged Republicans to reopen negotiations on the legislation, stating that “anything else is a betrayal of our country.” He also advocated for incorporating an extension of the debt ceiling during President Joe Biden’s term in office.
None of this bodes well before Trump actually takes office, particularly for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has been undercut by Trump as he prepares for a reelection vote for his position in a few weeks. With Republicans holding only a slim majority, there is a growing risk of renewed leadership battles similar to those that gridlocked the House a year ago.
Texas Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett said Republicans must own this mess, telling reporters "I’m just gonna sit back and sip my tea and wait on them to figure it out.”
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