With an uncharacteristically feistiness, Speaker Mike Johnson took clear sides Sunday in President Donald Trump’s breakup with mega-billionaire Elon Musk.
The Republican House leader and staunch Trump ally said Musk’s criticism of the GOP’s massive tax and budget policy bill will not derail the measure, and he downplayed Musk’s influence over the GOP-controlled Congress.
Johnson said he has exchanged text messages with Musk since the former chief of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency came out against the GOP bill.
The speaker was dismissive of Musk’s threats to finance opponents — even Democrats — of Republican members who back Trump’s bill.
Johnson insisted that Musk has bad information, and the speaker disputed the forecasts of the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that scores budget legislation.
On Sunday, Speaker Mike Johnson took sides in President Donald Trump’s split from megabillionaire Elon Musk with an unusually assertive demeanor.
In addition to downplaying Musk’s influence over the GOP-controlled Congress, the Republican House leader and ardent Trump supporter claimed that Musk’s criticism of the GOP’s massive tax and budget policy bill would not stop the measure.
Johnson stated on ABC’s “This Week” that he didn’t set out to write a piece of legislation to appease the wealthiest man in the world. Johnson insisted, “What we’re trying to do is help hardworking Americans who are trying to make ends meet and provide for their families.”.
According to Johnson, he has been texting Musk ever since the former head of Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency voiced opposition to the GOP bill.
Musk described it as an “abomination” that would increase U. A. debts and endanger the stability of the economy. After passing the House, the measure is now pending in the Senate, and he urged voters to saturate Capitol Hill with calls to vote against it. Trump informed reporters over the weekend that he has no intention of mending his relationship with Musk after his criticism triggered an irate back-and-forth on social media.
Musk’s threats to finance lawmakers who oppose Trump’s bill, including Democrats, were dismissed by the speaker.
Johnson remarked, “We have virtually no calls to the offices, any Republican member of Congress.”. And that, in my opinion, shows that people are adopting a wait-and-see mindset. While some may find some of his arguments compelling, everyone agrees that this is an extremely exciting piece of legislation. “.”.
Musk still thinks “that our policies are better for human flourishing,” according to Johnson. They benefit the American economy. They perform better in all of his endeavors, including entrepreneurship, job creation, and innovation. “”.
Republicans, including Trump’s White House budget chief, and the speaker continued to push back Sunday against predictions that their budget and tax proposals would increase annual deficits and thereby increase the nation’s already $40 trillion debt.
Johnson maintained Musk is misinformed, and the speaker contested the Congressional Budget Office’s (a nonpartisan organization that scores budget legislation) projections. According to the CBO’s analysis, the bill would increase deficits by $2.04 trillion over the next ten years, leave an additional 10.9 million people without health insurance, and extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts, spending cuts, and some other levies.
Republicans have been arguing for decades that cutting taxes and spending would boost economic growth and guarantee that deficits decline. In fact, under the administrations of George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, annual deficits and the total debt increased. Bush, as well as even after massive tax cuts during Trump’s first term.
According to White House Office of Budget and Management chief Russell Vought, CBO analysts use “artificial baselines” as the basis for their models on Sunday’s Fox News. Vought contended that CBO’s cost estimates assumed a return to the higher rates prior to the 2017 tax law’s implementation because it set the lower rates to expire.
Vought agreed that the CBO’s mandate from Congress is to examine existing legislation and legislation in its current form. However, he suggested that the office could release more analyses, which would be more in line with Republican objectives. When asked if the White House would request alternative estimates, Vought once more placed the onus on CBO, stating that the office is permitted by congressional rules to release additional analysis.
In contrast, other Republicans took a cautious approach to the Trump-Musk conflict.
Sen. Oklahoma stated, “As a former professional fighter, I learned a long time ago, don’t get between two fighters.”. Markwayne Mullin on “State of the Union” on CNN. “.”.
He even likened the two multibillionaire entrepreneurs to a married couple.
“I have friends who disagree with me, but I don’t have to be friends with President Trump,” Mullin stated. My wife and I have a deep love for one another, and while she does occasionally—in fact, frequently—disagree with me, that doesn’t mean we can’t continue to prioritize what’s best for our family. Even though we may not agree right now, we are totally focused on what is best for the American people. “”.
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Gary Fields, a journalist for the Associated Press, provided coverage from Washington.
