Government shutdown fight reveals limits of Trump’s power

In a high-stakes showdown, the US Congress and Senate narrowly avoided a federal government shutdown, passing a bill that extends government funding into March. However, the process exposed cracks in president-elect Donald Trump’s influence over his party. 

The drama unfolded when Trump derailed an initial bipartisan funding bill this week, with support from his billionaire ally Elon Musk. Trump insisted on tying the funding package to a two-year suspension of the federal debt limit. The proposal was met with resistance from both Democrats and Republicans and was eventually tanked, plunging Capitol Hill into a tumultuous 24 hours that left Congress headed towards a shutdown. 

A new, slimmed-down funding package, stripped of the controversial debt-limit provision, was eventually brought to the floor on Friday. This version passed the House with bipartisan support, securing 366 votes in favour and 34 against, and was approved by the Senate shortly after midnight.

The bill, which includes 100 billion USD in disaster relief and a farm bill extension, will fund the government until 14 March 2025. The debt-limit issue, however, will be revisited early next year. ​ 

Trump’s miss

The funding battle revealed cracks in Trump’s grip on the Republican Party. His threats to unseat dissenting Republicans failed, and his demands fell flat in the face of bipartisan opposition.

For Elon Musk, who played a prominent role in the negotiations, it was also a misstep. The billionaire used his social media platform X to aggressively campaign for Trump’s proposal, posting over 100 tweets, including some with false information, but still failed to sway lawmakers. 

The funding fight therefore offers a sobering preview of the challenges ahead for Trump’s administration. Republicans are preparing to take control of the White House, Senate and House in 2025, but the party's narrow House majority will leave leadership vulnerable to internal division. This is bad news for the president-elect, who has announced an ambitious agenda on taxes, immigration and trade. 

^{Donald Trump and Elon Musk © PHOTO KENA BETANCUR / AFP}