White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed President Donald Trump’s strong stance on the upcoming continuing resolution (CR), stating he “fully expects” all House Republicans to support the measure ahead of Friday’s government shutdown deadline. The CR would fund federal agencies through September 2025 while implementing $13 billion in non-defense spending cuts and adding $6 billion for military programs.
– Trump personally lobbied undecided Republicans through phone calls and social media posts, threatening to primary Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) for opposing the bill
– The legislation increases funding for:
– Veterans’ healthcare ($6 billion)
– Immigration enforcement operations
– WIC nutrition program ($500 million)
– House GOP leadership can only afford ONE defection given their narrow 219-213 majority, with Massie and Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) already opposing it
Democrats unanimously oppose the CR, calling it a “blank check” for Trump administration priorities like mass deportations while weakening protections against fentanyl trafficking. Vice President JD Vance emphasized Republican unity during closed-door meetings, framing the vote as a loyalty test to Trump’s agenda.
If passed, the bill faces Senate hurdles requiring at least 8 Democratic votes to overcome a filibuster. Failure would force Congress to pursue a shorter-term funding extension, which bipartisan lawmakers view as more pragmatic given the spending disagreements. The White House maintains that avoiding a shutdown remains Trump’s top immediate priority.
