Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) revealed that he spoke with billionaire Elon Musk about the 1,500-page government funding bill after Musk expressed opposition to it. According to Johnson, both Musk and the incoming head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Vivek Ramaswamy, understand the "impossible" position he's in.
Musk criticized the bill on Wednesday morning via his social platform, X, calling it "a bigger piece of pork" and urging that "this bill should not pass."
Addressing the criticism, Johnson told *Fox News*'s *Fox & Friends* that he had spoken with Musk and Ramaswamy the night before about their concerns.
“I was communicating with Elon last night,” Johnson said on Wednesday. “Elon, Vivek, and I were on a text chain together, and I was explaining the background of this. Vivek and I talked almost until midnight, and he said, ‘Look, I get it. We understand you’re in an impossible position. Everybody knows that.’”
Johnson went on to emphasize the tight Republican majority, which requires Democratic votes for any legislation to pass.
“Remember, guys, we still have just a razor-thin margin of Republicans. So any bill has to have Democratic votes,” Johnson explained. “They understand the situation. He said, ‘It’s not directed to you, Mr. Speaker, but we don’t like the spending.’ I said, ‘Guess what, fellas, I don’t either.’”
The funding bill, introduced on Tuesday, includes a continuation of government funding through March 14, along with several other provisions, such as disaster assistance for hurricane damage and farmers, healthcare reforms targeting pharmacy benefit managers, an extension of the farm bill, and a potential provision that could allow the Washington Commanders to return to playing their home games in D.C. instead of Maryland.
Many hard-line conservatives had called for a stopgap measure to delay funding until after President-elect Trump takes office, hoping he would implement lower funding levels than those President Biden would approve. Some Republicans have voiced frustration over the bill's added provisions.
“It’s not a CR [continuing resolution], it’s turning into an omnibus,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said Tuesday.
Despite the criticisms, Johnson argued that the bill would help pave the way for more conservative spending once Trump takes office.
“We’ve got to get this done, because here’s the key: By doing this, we are clearing the decks, and we are setting up for Trump to come in roaring back with his America First agenda, which we’re going to run with gusto starting Jan. 3, when the new Congress begins and Republicans are in control,” Johnson said. “And all of our fiscal conservative friends—I’m one of them—will finally be able to do the things we’ve been wanting to do the last couple of years.”
Musk criticized the bill on Wednesday morning via his social platform, X, calling it "a bigger piece of pork" and urging that "this bill should not pass."
Addressing the criticism, Johnson told *Fox News*'s *Fox & Friends* that he had spoken with Musk and Ramaswamy the night before about their concerns.
“I was communicating with Elon last night,” Johnson said on Wednesday. “Elon, Vivek, and I were on a text chain together, and I was explaining the background of this. Vivek and I talked almost until midnight, and he said, ‘Look, I get it. We understand you’re in an impossible position. Everybody knows that.’”
Johnson went on to emphasize the tight Republican majority, which requires Democratic votes for any legislation to pass.
“Remember, guys, we still have just a razor-thin margin of Republicans. So any bill has to have Democratic votes,” Johnson explained. “They understand the situation. He said, ‘It’s not directed to you, Mr. Speaker, but we don’t like the spending.’ I said, ‘Guess what, fellas, I don’t either.’”
The funding bill, introduced on Tuesday, includes a continuation of government funding through March 14, along with several other provisions, such as disaster assistance for hurricane damage and farmers, healthcare reforms targeting pharmacy benefit managers, an extension of the farm bill, and a potential provision that could allow the Washington Commanders to return to playing their home games in D.C. instead of Maryland.
Many hard-line conservatives had called for a stopgap measure to delay funding until after President-elect Trump takes office, hoping he would implement lower funding levels than those President Biden would approve. Some Republicans have voiced frustration over the bill's added provisions.
“It’s not a CR [continuing resolution], it’s turning into an omnibus,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said Tuesday.
Despite the criticisms, Johnson argued that the bill would help pave the way for more conservative spending once Trump takes office.
“We’ve got to get this done, because here’s the key: By doing this, we are clearing the decks, and we are setting up for Trump to come in roaring back with his America First agenda, which we’re going to run with gusto starting Jan. 3, when the new Congress begins and Republicans are in control,” Johnson said. “And all of our fiscal conservative friends—I’m one of them—will finally be able to do the things we’ve been wanting to do the last couple of years.”