White House blasts Trump, GOP over spending threats

The White House on Wednesday blasted President-elect Trump and Republicans for sinking a proposed government spending deal, raising the possibility of a shutdown.

“Republicans need to stop playing politics with this bipartisan agreement or they will hurt hardworking Americans and create instability across the country,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement. 

Jean-Pierre accused Trump and Vice President-elect Vance of encouraging Republicans to shut down the government by opposing a compromise spending deal introduced Tuesday by congressional leaders.

”Triggering a damaging government shutdown would hurt families who are gathering to meet with their loved ones and endanger the basic services Americans from veterans to Social Security recipients rely on,” Jean-Pierre said. “A deal is a deal. Republicans should keep their word.”

Trump and Vance earlier Wednesday called for Republicans to approve a clean stopgap funding bill paired with a hike to the debt ceiling, saying the previous government-funding measure negotiated by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) should be torpedoed.

In a lengthy statement issued amid growing opposition to the Johnson bill from Trump allies and House Republicans, Vance and Trump said lawmakers should pass a "streamlined spending bill that doesn’t give Chuck Schumer and the Democrats everything they want," referring to the Senate majority leader from New York.

The government is set to shut down on Saturday unless lawmakers can pass a funding measure through the House and Senate by then. 

Trump’s comments come after several of his allies and a slew of House Republicans spent the day venting about the roughly 1,500 page bill, which was unveiled Tuesday evening. 

GOP opposition was centered on a number of add-ons to the continuation of government funding through March 14.

The add-ons included disaster assistance for hurricane damage and an extension of existing farm legislation, in addition to a health care deal that includes reforms to the pharmacy benefit manager industry and a provision that could set the stage for the Washington Commanders to return to playing their home games in D.C. instead of Maryland.