WASHINGTON — After enduring several days of threats and demands, Donald Trump found himself with limited accomplishments as lawmakers finalized a budget agreement early Saturday morning, successfully sidestepping a potential government shutdown before Christmas.
While Trump managed to persuade House Republicans to cut some spending, his primary objective of raising the debt ceiling remained unfulfilled. This outcome highlighted that despite his significant electoral success and frequent assertions of party loyalty, many within the Republican ranks are willing to contradict him openly.
Trump’s active engagement in the budget negotiations just a month prior to his inauguration revealed his tendency to disrupt rather than negotiate effectively, anticipating a second term laden with the same internal conflict, disorder, and disputes that characterized his initial presidency.
“Stay tuned. Buckle up. Strap in,” remarked Rep. Steve Womack, R-Ark., who is a senior member of the appropriator committee.
A look at Trump’s proposed agenda indicates numerous upcoming opportunities for similar conflicts. He intends to extend the tax cuts he implemented seven years ago, reduce government size, boost tariffs on imports, and intensify efforts against illegal immigration—all of which would require support from Congress.
For Trump’s supporters, upheaval might be the ultimate objective. According to AP VoteCast, a comprehensive survey of over 120,000 voters, 37% of Trump voters this year expressed a desire for “complete and total upheaval,” while another 56% sought “substantial change.”
However, recent developments underscore the possible obstacles Trump may encounter in promptly achieving these aims, especially with the Republican Party holding only slim majorities in both the House and Senate. Some lawmakers appear to be growing frustrated with the evident lack of a cohesive strategy.
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., noted that the budget negotiations served as “a valuable lesson in how to get our act together,” adding, “There are no layups and it gets more complicated.”
Trump’s directives met with resistance during the budget negotiations when lawmakers introduced a continuing resolution designed to maintain government operations until March. Interestingly, it was not Trump but his ally Elon Musk, who initiated opposition on social media, labeling the proposed spending as excessive.
As Trump joined the fray, he instructed Republican lawmakers to abandon the bipartisan agreement made with Democrats and insisted on a debt limit increase — the cap on government borrowing — to prevent that contentious issue from arising during his administration. His position shifted multiple times, initially calling for the complete suspension of the debt limit, then proposing it be suspended until 2027, and later suggesting an extension to 2029.
Despite his assertions that if shutdown occurred it would be Democrats who would bear the blame, the reality unfolded differently. “All Republicans, and even the Democrats, should do what is best for our Country, and vote ‘YES’ for this Bill, TONIGHT!” he urged prior to a vote on a proposal that included a debt ceiling increase. In a surprising turn, 38 Republicans voted against the proposal, an unexpected slight to Trump’s authority.
“Without this, we should never make a deal,” he declared on his social media platform, Truth Social. Trump threatened a government shutdown if he didn’t get his way while indicating that party members could face primary challenges for any dissent.
In the end, the debt ceiling increase was omitted from the final agreement, which passed in the early hours of Saturday. Musk and other Trump supporters attempted to frame the outcome as a win, given that the legislation was trimmed down significantly and excluded unpopular provisions like salary increases for Congress members. Conservative activist Charlie Kirk proclaimed on X that Trump “is already running Congress before he takes office!”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., mentioned having been in “constant contact” with Trump, asserting that he was “certainly happy about this outcome.” However, Trump himself did not publicly comment following the agreement. After a day filled with social media assertions, he went silent on Friday, opting instead for a round of golf at his Florida resort.
Karoline Leavitt, a spokesperson for Trump, stated that he played a crucial role in preventing the initial agreement from being “full of Democrat pork and pay raises for members of Congress.”
Looking ahead, tensions surrounding budget negotiations are poised to replicate the tumultuous atmosphere witnessed during Trump’s initial term. A previous budget impasse resulted in a government shutdown over funding for the U.S.-Mexico border wall, leading to a 35-day standstill — the longest in history. Trump eventually capitulated without securing the wall funding, a significant blow to his political standing at that time.
In the months ahead, Trump is expected to exert pressure on his party regarding his Cabinet selections, urging hesitant Republican senators to back some of his more controversial nominees, such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health secretary and Pete Hegseth for defense secretary.
The contentious spending debates anticipated next year are almost certain to test Trump’s influence within the House further. Many conservatives perceive the rapid federal debt growth as a critical issue demanding urgent reform. Yet, some Republican members remain concerned about potential voter backlash resulting from severe cuts to essential federal programs. Budgetary concerns related to deficit spending may escalate if Trump pursues costly tax reductions, such as abolishing taxes on tips, Social Security, and overtime pay, and extending the 2017 tax cuts slated to lapse next year.
Trump has suggested reducing the U.S. corporate tax rate from 21% to 15% but restricts it to companies that produce domestically. He has proposed funding these revenue losses through steep new tariffs, which economists warn could lead to increased consumer prices.
Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, indicated that reconciling spending cuts with Trump’s agenda could breed further division among party members, stating, “That’s never really been a campaign promise of Trump, but it’s a significant priority for House Republicans.”
The friction between Trump and some factions of the Republican Party does not appear to have resolved by Saturday. Some Republicans expressed frustration with the House leadership for not ensuring Trump’s endorsement of the starting deal. Meanwhile, Democrats mocked Trump as being subordinate to Musk.
While Trump opted for silence, President Biden announced the signing of the budget legislation. “This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted,” Biden remarked. “But it rejects the accelerated pathway to a tax cut for billionaires that Republicans sought, and it ensures the government can continue to operate at full capacity.”