Josh Hawley Blasts Speaker Johnson’s Spending Bill, Calls It a Setup for Trump’s Failure
Michael Brochstein Sipa USA file photo
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) tore into House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Wednesday night during a fiery appearance on Fox News, accusing Johnson of setting up President-elect Donald Trump for failure with his temporary spending bill.
“Why would you saddle Donald Trump with this terrible spending bill before he even gets into office?” Hawley demanded. “It dumps it right back in his lap in March.”
Hawley’s frustration stems from Johnson’s proposed funding measure, which would have kept the government running until mid-March. The Missouri senator criticized the plan as short-sighted and politically harmful to Trump, who is expected to take office just weeks before the bill’s expiration.
“In March, under this bill, they’d shut down the government again, have to do this all over again, have to raise the debt ceiling again later, the same year. It’s ridiculous,” Hawley fumed. “It’s a horrible plan. I can’t believe that Republican leadership ever cooked it up. Clearly, they didn’t talk to Trump about it.”
Hawley’s sharp rebuke signals growing discontent within the Republican ranks, with many questioning Johnson’s leadership and strategy. “If this is the best they can do, I mean it’s just, it’s total incompetence. This is a disaster,” Hawley said, suggesting that it may be time for a leadership shakeup in Congress.
"We need to have a serious look at who's leading this Congress, because if this is the best they can do, it's complete incompetence. This is a disaster" — Josh Hawley suggests Mike Johnson needs to go
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar.com) December 19, 2024 at 7:26 AM
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The proposed funding bill included provisions such as $100 billion in hurricane relief and $10 billion in assistance for farmers. It also aimed to hand over control of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium to Washington, D.C., enabling the city to negotiate for the return of the Washington Commanders football team.
Despite these inclusions, the bill quickly collapsed under fierce opposition from Trump and his allies, including tech billionaire Elon Musk. Musk, dubbed Trump’s “first buddy” and tasked with advocating for budget cuts, led the charge against the measure, warning it would saddle Republicans with unnecessary spending.
The bill’s implosion highlights deep divisions within the GOP as leaders struggle to craft a unified strategy heading into Trump’s next term. Johnson, already under scrutiny, now faces mounting pressure to resolve the spending impasse without further fracturing the party.
Hawley’s blistering critique underscores the stakes: a fractured GOP, a looming government shutdown, and a president-elect caught in the crossfire of Republican leadership’s missteps.
