Trump's Demands Complicate Speaker Johnson's Government Shutdown Aversion Plans

Former President Trump is complicating Speaker Mike Johnson's efforts to address the looming government shutdown deadline.

Trump has been urging Republicans to combine a bill requiring citizenship proof for voting with a stopgap measure to keep the government running past September 30.

Johnson attempted to bring such a bill to a vote, but faced strong opposition from within his own party. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia

As Republican resistance to the stopgap grew, Trump escalated his demands, threatening a shutdown.

He posted on Truth Social: "If Republicans in the House, and Senate, don't get absolute assurances on Election Security, THEY SHOULD, IN NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, GO FORWARD WITH A CONTINUING RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET." Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rep. Steve Womack noted, "Mike's job is complicated, trying to appease the conference. When there's additional input coming from outside of the conference of significant influence — I mean, the former president's got significant influence — that makes his decisionmaking just a bit more of a challenge." Maryland GovPics / Wikimedia

Johnson, maintaining a good relationship with Trump, expressed support for the voting legislation known as the SAVE Act.

He stated on Fox Business, "President Trump and I are on the same page, as is every Republican here. We have to ensure election security." Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia

However, many Republicans are wary of a potential shutdown so close to the November elections.

Rep. Mike Lawler emphasized, according to The Hill, "Senate Democrats refuse to pass the SAVE Act, which is shameful, and obviously the American people should hold them accountable for that. But we're not shutting the government down with 54 days until Election Day." U.S. House of Representatives / Wikimedia

Johnson faces opposition from various factions within his party, including hard-line conservatives, defense hawks, and moderates.

Despite this, he seems determined to move forward with his plan, telling reporters that efforts to build consensus have been "fruitful." Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America / Wikimedia

Democrats and the White House have stated they will block the legislation, arguing that non-citizen voting is already illegal and that the bill could unfairly burden eligible voters. AramilFeraxa / Wikimedia

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Trump’s Demands Complicate Speaker Johnson’s Government Shutdown Aversion Plans