The government shutdown standoff of December 2024 marked the first significant test of President-elect Donald Trump’s influence over Republicans in Congress.
It was a challenge he struggled to meet. The chaos in the final days revealed the limits of his power and control over his party as he prepares to return to the White House.
A day after Trump derailed a bipartisan government funding bill, aided by Elon Musk, he issued a new demand: a simplified government funding bill that would also raise the debt ceiling to allow for more federal borrowing.
This was a significant ask for many congressional conservatives, who have long insisted that any increase in the debt ceiling must be accompanied by cuts to what they consider out-of-control government spending. Democrats, along with some Republicans, rejected this proposal.
Trump’s demand also subtly acknowledged that his legislative agenda, focused on tax cuts and increased military spending, is unlikely to reduce the massive federal deficit as many on the right had hoped.
