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Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) sharply criticized billionaire Elon Musk on Thursday for his role in derailing an end-of-year spending deal, which she described as a significant threat to democratic governance. Speaking on CNN, Lee highlighted the dangers of allowing an unelected individual like Musk to influence critical governmental decisions.
“Let’s put this into context. This was a bipartisan, agreed-upon deal to move forward and keep the government open until March,” Lee stated.
She pointed out that Musk used his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), to advocate for rejecting the stopgap funding measure. “It is really very clear to me that a non-elected billionaire, Elon Musk, has weighed in now and has put forth a message on Twitter, from his phone, that it’s okay to shut the government down and to disregard the bipartisan deal,” she added. Lee warned that granting Musk such influence over governmental operations “really has grave consequences on the American people.”
The controversy arose when the House of Representatives rejected Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) revised spending bill, labeled "plan B," after the original proposal faced backlash. Musk and President-elect Donald Trump were central to the criticism, with Trump’s allies quickly rallying against the continuing resolution.
Musk, recently appointed to co-lead the newly established Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside Vivek Ramaswamy, took to X on Wednesday to spread misinformation about the spending deal.
His posts ranged from criticizing the deal’s structure to spreading false claims, such as exaggerated lawmaker pay raises and fabricated costs of a proposed football stadium in Washington, D.C. Musk’s influence was evident as he encouraged Republican lawmakers to oppose the funding bill.
On the same day, Trump joined the fray, demanding that a debt ceiling increase be included in the stopgap bill. In a joint statement with Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, Trump outlined the Republican Party’s priorities, including disaster aid and support for farmers, which were addressed in the funding plan.
However, he argued that the bill gave Democrats too much and called for a streamlined spending proposal.
Trump’s demand to tie the debt ceiling to the funding measure faced skepticism from lawmakers across the political spectrum.
Many questioned the feasibility and timing of his proposal, given the urgent need to prevent a government shutdown. The president-elect’s stance further deepened divisions within Congress, making it increasingly difficult to find common ground.
The ongoing debate underscores the broader challenges of navigating bipartisan agreements in a highly polarized environment. It also raises questions about the role of influential private individuals like Musk in shaping public policy and the potential consequences of their involvement.
