Former United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has criticised Elon Musk’s perceived influence over the spending standoff on Capitol Hill, which has escalated tensions over a potential government shutdown.
Clinton’s remarks align with House Democrats’ claims that “Extreme MAGA” Republicans are steering the nation towards a shutdown.
In a post on X, Clinton wrote, “If you’re just catching up: the Republican Party, taking orders from the world’s richest man, is on course to shut down the government over the holidays.
“Stopping paychecks for our troops and nutrition benefits for low-income families just in time for Christmas.”
According to Fox News, the U.S. government faces a partial shutdown at midnight on Saturday unless a deal is reached to extend funding to March while maintaining 2024 spending levels.
The controversy partly stems from Musk’s vocal opposition to an initial spending deal that House Speaker Mike Johnson had negotiated with Democrats. The billionaire had reportedly threatened to support primary challenges against any Republican who backed the agreement.
In response, House Republicans introduced a revised proposal on Thursday. This new measure was significantly shorter, included disaster aid, and proposed suspending the debt ceiling for two years, in line with a request from former President Donald Trump.
However, the revised plan failed in the House. A faction of Republicans withheld their support, and Democrats united against the proposal, with many expressing unease over Musk’s apparent influence in shaping the negotiations.
The standoff leaves the U.S. government on the brink of a shutdown, with critical services and payments to military personnel and low-income families at risk during the holiday season.