The POTUS spoke out as a deadline approaches on a previous bill passed by Congress in December
Donald Trump has warned that the US government could face a shutdown in a matter of days if one temporary bill doesn’t get passed this week.
President’s Warning on Potential Government Shutdown Looms
On Sunday, March 9, President Joe Biden issued a stark warning as the clock ticks down to a potential government shutdown. This follows Speaker Mike Johnson‘s introduction of a short-term spending bill in December to maintain government funding.
The bill, a continuing resolution (CR), extended funding through Friday, March 14. However, if Congress doesn’t pass another similar measure by then, the government could be forced to shut down. This would mean hundreds of thousands of federal workers could face unpaid leave while essential services grind to a halt.
Trump Weighs In on Potential Government Shutdown, Urges Congress to Act
On March 8, Republicans, who control the House, took a step toward addressing the looming government funding crisis by presenting a continuing resolution (CR) that would keep the government funded through the rest of fiscal year 2025, which ends September 30.
But there’s a catch: the bill still needs to pass a vote scheduled for March 11, and the clock is ticking.
When reporters asked about the possibility of a government shutdown, President Trump didn’t mince words: “It could happen.” He acknowledged that the funding issue “shouldn’t have happened,” but suggested that a shutdown “probably won’t” occur, though the final decision lies with Congress.
“I think the CR is going to get passed. We’ll see,” Trump said.
The president’s remarks came alongside his social media plea on Truth Social, urging Congress to pass what he called a “very good funding bill” to prevent the shutdown.
Trump Backs House and Senate Funding Bill, Calls for Unity Amid Shutdown Threat
On March 9, President Trump took to Truth Social to rally support for the continuing resolution (CR) presented by Republicans in Congress, urging all party members to vote YES on the bill to keep the government funded through September 30.
Trump wrote: “The House and Senate have put together, under the circumstances, a very good funding bill (“CR”)! All Republicans should vote (Please!) YES next week.”
He went on to reassure supporters, saying: “Great things are coming for America, and I am asking you all to give us a few months to get us through to September so we can continue to put the Country’s ‘financial house’ in order.”
Trump also pointed the finger at Democrats, accusing them of trying “anything they can to shut down [the] Government,” and emphasized the need for unity within the Republican Party: “We can’t let that happen. We have to remain UNITED — NO DISSENT — Fight for another day when the timing is right. VERY IMPORTANT. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Despite Trump’s support for the CR, some Republicans expressed their displeasure with the plan. Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky took to Twitter on March 9, stating: “I’m not voting for the Continuing Resolution budget (cut-copy-paste omnibus) this week. Why would I vote to continue the waste fraud and abuse DOGE has found? We were told the CR in December would get us to March when we would fight. Here we are in March, punting again!”
The looming shutdown brings back memories of the 35-day government shutdown that took place under Trump’s administration from December 2018 to January 2019.
