"Minister Ma" leads the charge, Trump and Vance echo, will DOGE's first battle force the U.S. government to shut down?

A temporary bill to avoid a government shutdown in the United States has faced opposition from Elon Musk, with Trump and Vance also publicly criticizing it, increasing the difficulty of passing the bill on Friday.

On Tuesday, to avoid a government shutdown, the U.S. Congress released the text of a temporary funding bill that will provide funding for the federal government until March of next year. The temporary funding bill passed by Congress in September of this year will expire on the 20th of this month, and Congress must take new legislative action before then to provide funding for the federal government to continue operating and avoid a "shutdown."

What happened?

This bill, which was expected to pass smoothly, has come under fierce criticism from Trump's camp, notably from Musk, who is set to become the co-chair of Trump's "Department of Government Efficiency" (DOGE).

On Wednesday local time, Musk posted over twenty messages on social media, attacking the bill from various angles. He mocked the 1,500-page bill as "the largest pork barrel legislation in history" and called on lawmakers to vote against it.

He criticized the inclusion of provisions for congressional pay raises in the bill, deeming it inappropriate while many Americans are "struggling" for Christmas. Musk even threatened that any lawmaker voting in favor of this "outrageous spending bill" should be voted out of office in two years.

Trump and vice-presidential candidate JD Vance also publicly condemned the bill, arguing that the Republican Party should let the Democrats' bluster go bankrupt and allow the government to shut down.

Trump stated that he opposes the bipartisan agreement reached by congressional leaders to avoid a partial government shutdown this weekend, insisting that lawmakers tear up the agreement and pass a narrower bill that retains aid but abandons other measures, and immediately raise the federal debt ceiling before next year's national borrowing limit deadline.

Why is it important?

Due to the opposition from Musk and Trump, it has become uncertain whether the bill can pass before the deadline.

Musk described the bill as "criminal," and his comments on social media have sparked divisions within the Republican Party, potentially affecting the votes of Republican lawmakers.

Some conservative lawmakers, such as Ralph Norman and Byron Donalds, expressed support for Musk's position. However, there are also moderate lawmakers, like Don Bacon, who believe Musk's judgment is "premature," as the bill contains many Republican "victories."

Faced with pressure from Trump's camp, House Speaker Mike Johnson finds himself in a difficult position. In media interviews, he stated that he has communicated with Musk and another co-chair of DOGE, Vivek Ramaswamy, to explain the background of the bill. Johnson emphasized that given the Democrats still control the Senate and the White House, this is the best outcome the Republicans can currently achieve. However, Johnson's explanation seems to have failed to alleviate the concerns of Musk and others.

The public struggle surrounding the temporary bill is also an early test of Musk's political power and that of DOGE. Some analysts believe that this event may signal a new situation for the Republican Party next year. Musk and other Trump allies may exert influence on the party's legislative agenda, privately offering advice, and then publicly inciting opposition online and in conservative media when dissatisfied with the results.

The turmoil surrounding the spending bill is not only about whether the government can avoid a shutdown, but also a microcosm of the power struggle between Trump's camp and traditional Republicans. Musk has already demonstrated his influence within the Republican Party and provided a preview of the Trump administration's policy direction