Hillary Clinton Criticizes Elon Musk's Alleged Influence Over Republican Spending Decisions

 

Former U.S. Secretary of State and 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton has accused tech billionaire Elon Musk of wielding significant influence over the Republican Party, particularly amid the spending standoff on Capitol Hill.

Clinton’s comments came in response to claims from House Democrats that "Extreme MAGA" Republicans, allegedly under Musk’s sway, were steering the country toward a government shutdown.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Clinton wrote:

"If you’re just catching up: the Republican Party, taking orders from the world’s richest man, is on course to shut down the government over the holidays. Stopping paychecks for our troops and nutrition benefits for low-income families just in time for Christmas."

Her statement highlights the looming partial shutdown of the U.S. government if a funding deal isn’t reached before midnight Saturday. The shutdown would freeze critical services, including military pay and aid programs, during the holiday season.

Reports suggest that Musk, a known supporter of former President Donald Trump, voiced strong opposition to an initial spending agreement negotiated by House Speaker Mike Johnson and House Democrats. Musk reportedly threatened to back primary challenges against any Republican who supported the bill, a move that prompted several lawmakers to withhold their support and stall its passage.

The original spending bill aimed to fund the government until March while maintaining spending levels for 2024. However, opposition from Musk-aligned Republicans led to its failure in the House.

House Republicans later introduced a revised spending proposal, which included disaster relief funding and a suspension of the debt ceiling for two years, a measure reportedly aligned with Trump’s requests. Despite these changes, the bill failed to gain traction, with Republicans divided and Democrats united in their opposition.

The situation has intensified debate about Musk's growing role in U.S. politics. As the world’s richest man and CEO of influential platforms like X, Musk’s opposition to government spending measures has raised questions about his sway over lawmakers, particularly in the Republican Party.

For Clinton and other critics, the impasse highlights a troubling intersection of wealth, power, and political influence. Meanwhile, as the clock ticks down to the shutdown deadline, the fallout from these political maneuvers threatens to disrupt critical government functions during the holiday season.