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Musk flexes influence over Congress in shutdown drama

www.bbc.com Musk flexes influence over Congress in shutdown drama

Musk and Trump quickly derailed a stopgap spending bill, showing their power before the president-elect even takes office.

Musk flexes influence over Congress in shutdown drama

Summary

Elon Musk played a key role in derailing a bipartisan stopgap bill to fund the U.S. government, using his influence on social media to oppose the compromise reached by Republican Speaker Mike Johnson and Democrats.

Musk’s criticism sparked growing Republican resistance, later echoed by Donald Trump. The resulting failure exposed deep divisions within the GOP, complicating Johnson’s leadership and future legislative efforts.

Democrats mocked Musk’s influence, while some Republicans expressed frustration.

The incident highlights challenges facing Trump’s narrow House majority, with instability threatening legislative priorities and potential governance deadlock.

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