WASHINGTON − With the House Republicans facing challenges in preventing a federal government shutdown, President Joe Biden and the Democrats are willing to take a backseat, believing that the Republicans are responsible for the current dysfunction.

As Biden prepares to leave Washington in a few weeks, the White House is content to let Donald Trump and Elon Musk take center stage.

Resolving the funding issue is seen as a challenge for House Republicans and Trump to tackle. According to an insider familiar with the administration’s perspective, House Speaker Mike Johnson initially agreed to a bipartisan funding agreement but later abandoned it following instructions from the president-elect.

By late Thursday afternoon, following several hours of private discussions, Johnson and the Republican team revealed a new proposal backed by Trump to fund the government and suspend the debt ceiling for the next two years. However, this proposal does not receive backing from various hardline Republicans and House Democrats.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries dismissed the proposal as “laughable” and “not serious.”

White House officials are in ongoing discussions with Jeffries regarding their strategy in response to the Republican turmoil surrounding the spending bill needed to prevent a government shutdown before Friday’s midnight deadline.

Currently, neither the White House nor Democratic leaders in Congress are considering negotiations on the debt ceiling ‒ a matter that Trump has suddenly declared must be addressed or eliminated entirely for Republicans to approve a continuing resolution for government funding.

“Discussions about the debt limit are premature at best,” Jeffries informed reporters earlier that day.

Biden has remained silent publicly regarding the ongoing standoff since Trump disrupted the previously reached bipartisan agreement. White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, made a statement on Wednesday evening urging Republicans to “stop playing politics,” cautioning that a government shutdown would negatively impact the nation.

“A commitment is a commitment. Republicans should uphold their end,” she asserted.

Biden was in Wilmington, Delaware, this Wednesday, paying tribute to his first wife and infant daughter, more than 52 years following their tragic passing. He is scheduled to return to Washington on Thursday evening.

With Biden in a weakened position as a lame-duck president, Trump is banking on the notion that Republicans can shift the blame to the outgoing president should a shutdown occur.

“If Democrats threaten to shut down the government unless we meet all their demands, then CALL THEIR BLUFF,” Trump declared in a statement. “It is Schumer and Biden who are obstructing assistance to our farmers and disaster relief efforts.”

Nonetheless, Biden and the Democrats are highlighting the potential consequences of a government shutdown during the Christmas season. They assert that Republicans, who reneged on a deal they initially agreed to, will face public backlash, especially with Republicans set to assume control of both chambers of Congress and the White House next month.

“This situation is not about the next president; it’s not about the wealthy. It’s about the harm House Republicans could inflict on the American public if the government shuts down,” Jeffries stated.

Emergency aid jeopardized

Jeffries highlighted that emergency funding for hurricane recovery could be delayed if a temporary bill goes unpassed, affecting holiday travel if TSA employees are not paid amid a shutdown, among other impacts.

“This reckless, Republican-led shutdown can be prevented if House Republicans simply choose to act in the best interest of the American people and adhere to the bipartisan agreement they themselves negotiated,” he stressed.

This agreement, struck earlier this week between Johnson and House Democrats, would have extended government funding until mid-March.

Donald Trump publicly opposed the stopgap bill after Elon Musk, the wealthy tech mogul and one of Trump’s close supporters, criticized the extensive 1,500-page legislation on social media, particularly regarding its spending provisions.

Republican lawmakers have expressed concerns over several additional items in the bill, which proposes salary increases for Congress members, allocates $100 billion for emergency assistance, and provides $21 billion to support farmers facing difficulties with crops or livestock.

Furthermore, Musk’s increasing sway over Republicans—prior to Trump assuming office—has become a point of contention for Democrats, especially as they brace for a Republican majority in the House, Senate, and White House.

According to Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., via X, “It’s evident who holds the reins, and it’s not President-elect Donald Trump. Shadow President Elon Musk spent the entire day attacking the Republicans’ continuing resolution, effectively derailing the bill, and Trump chose to follow his lead.”

In another post on Thursday, Jayapal pointed out that Trump and Musk are not concerned about affording basic necessities like rent and groceries while a government shutdown appears imminent.

“However, millions of American families, including federal employees and military personnel, do face these challenges. They are just billionaires who show no regard for the struggles of the poor and working class,” Jayapal remarked.