Donald Trump is not in office yet, but he is already stirring up trouble for the Republicans.

Recently, Republicans and Democrats reached a deal to prevent a government shutdown, but that agreement fell apart after Trump and his supporters pressured Republicans to renegotiate.

A second attempt to pass new legislation on Thursday night failed, with 38 Republicans voting against the Trump-backed plan.

The deadline to prevent a shutdown is midnight Friday. If funding isn’t secured by then, it could have serious repercussions for the GOP.

A shutdown would signal trouble for Trump’s second term

Trump will officially take office in mid-January, which typically would lead presidents to tread carefully to avoid missteps beforehand. However, Trump seems unable to restrain himself.

If a shutdown happens, particularly after Trump derailed a bipartisan agreement, the Republicans would bear the full blame.

Moreover, this couldn’t come at a worse time. Shutdowns mean federal employees won’t receive their paychecks until the government reopens, which can lead to staffing shortages in many agencies. The Transportation Security Administration, faced with potential disruptions, is one agency that could experience significant delays during the holiday travel period.

In politics, how things are perceived matters greatly. If Republicans fail to maintain government operations this holiday season under Trump’s guidance, it would reinforce the perception that they can’t be trusted to lead.

In their last stint with complete control back in 2018, Republicans couldn’t manage to fund the government prior to the Christmas break, resulting in the longest shutdown in U.S. history, lasting 35 days, until the new Congress took office that January.

Now, with Republicans set to take charge of the House, Senate, and presidency, the threat of another shutdown looms.

However, having complete control might not resolve the issue, as only 172 Republicans and a couple of Democrats supported the latest Trump-backed bill.

This internal division among Republicans suggests that various factions need to come to an agreement, as they can’t expect Democrats to assist them.

MAGA Republicans may be leading themselves into their own mess

While most politicians aim to avoid a shutdown, some within the MAGA movement seem unconcerned about the potential fallout it might have for Americans.

“The government can stay shut down until January 20th as far as I’m concerned,” stated Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene on X.

It’s puzzling why any Republicans would wish to delay government funding until Trump enters office, as the new administration is unlikely to advocate for MAGA’s goals more than the current one does.

The failure of the newly proposed bill to unite House Republicans adds to the confusion about why Trump would disrupt existing funding efforts and expose his party to criticism.

In their previous term, seemingly straightforward issues like government funding turned into major challenges for Republican officials, which contributed to voters losing faith in them. This inability to govern responsibly played a key role in helping Democrats position themselves as the “adults in the room,” winning over public support shortly thereafter.

Republicans should address their challenges and demonstrate their ability to manage the essential functions required to keep the government running. If they fail to do this, it could damage confidence in their governance even before it officially begins.