As the deadline for government funding fast approaches, a political standoff has emerged on Capitol Hill, with Democrats vehemently rejecting a Republican spending proposal reportedly influenced by Elon Musk. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton weighed in on the situation, criticizing the GOP's apparent responsiveness to the billionaire's stance.

Clinton, via a post on X (formerly Twitter), accused the Republican Party of taking cues from Musk and risking a government shutdown during the holiday season, potentially impacting military pay and benefits for low-income families. This criticism comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson introduced a revised continuing resolution (CR) to maintain government operations past the Friday night deadline.

Musk had previously voiced strong opposition to the initial spending agreement negotiated between Johnson and Democrats, even suggesting he might support primary challenges against Republicans who voted in favor. Without a viable agreement to extend the funding deadline to March and maintain current spending levels, a partial government shutdown is imminent.

House Democrats are firmly opposing the latest version of the spending plan. Given the nation's substantial debt and deficit, some conservatives also oppose the CR, which would postpone addressing the funding issue and maintain existing spending levels until March.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries characterized the proposal as unserious and accused extreme MAGA Republicans of pushing the government towards a shutdown.

Signs point to Democratic leadership urging their members to vote against the deal. Rep. Jamie Raskin criticized the influence of figures like Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy in disrupting the previous agreement. He expressed concern over what he perceived as Musk’s undue influence on the legislative process.

Outcries of disapproval were audible from the Democrats’ meeting room following the release of the bill's text.

The latest CR proposes a three-month extension of current funding levels and a two-year suspension of the debt limit, a demand previously made by President-elect Trump. This follows criticism of the initial 1,500-page CR from the right wing due to included policy and funding provisions. A vote on the new bill could occur as early as Thursday evening. The bill’s prospects remain unclear, with Rep. Chip Roy, a key opponent of the initial bill, also expressing strong disapproval of the revised version, citing concerns about increased debt and government spending.