Former MSNBC anchor and political analyst Chris Matthews railed at Elon Musk on Friday for tanking the Home persevering with decision (CR) that had been negotiated between Republicans and Democrats, and inspiring the GOP to take a tough line regardless of the rising threat of a authorities shutdown.
“You’ve heard of a bull in a china shop — this guy is an elephant in a china shop,” Matthews stated throughout a Friday look on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
“These negotiations between the House Democrats and the House Republicans are very fragile. There’s a one-vote majority for the Republicans,” he informed co-host Jonathan Lemire.
Democratic leaders have criticized their Republican counterparts for backing out of a deal after it got here underneath fireplace from Elon Musk on his social platform X, earlier than President-elect Trump got here out towards it.
Home Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) introduced a “plan B” spending invoice to the ground, stripping out some provisions, akin to well being care reform, that appealed to Democrats, and including a two-year suspension of the debt restrict, which might assist Trump keep away from a messy combat with fiscal conservatives subsequent 12 months.
Musk cited Democratic wins and what he views as pointless spending as the principle causes for opposition to the preliminary invoice. Nonetheless, Matthews and others have famous Republicans will finally want some Democratic assist, given their very own divided caucus and tiny majority.
“You have to have Democrats aboard, because there’s 30 or 40 Republicans who will not vote with their party, that will always vote against any extension of the debt ceiling or anything like that that includes more government spending,” Matthews acknowledged.
“So you need Democrats.”
Johnson has remained pretty quiet about Musk’s exterior push for Republican domination.
The Louisiana consultant has undertaken closed-door negotiations with different Republicans in latest days and returned to the Capitol touting a “plan C” Friday morning after talks with Vice President-elect JD Vance.
Matthews stated Musk did not appear to grasp what’s required to make a deal in Congress.
“Along comes Musk with all his trillions of dollars, basically, doesn’t know anything about civics. The House is divided. You have to make a deal. He doesn’t understand that,” Matthews fumed.
“He’s thrown this whole thing up in the air and it’s going to have, probably, a government shutdown tonight because of him personally.”
