Biden is Absent as Washington Descends into Shutdown Chaos
Democratic lawmakers have yet to receive any communication from the president.
TroibNews 
Although Joe Biden continues to hold the Oval Office, it has become increasingly clear that he is no longer leading Washington.
On Thursday, more than six House Democratic lawmakers indicated that the conference had not received any updates from the president, even as Congress rushed to finalize a funding deal to prevent a government shutdown.
In the day following President-elect Donald Trump and his close ally Elon Musk's abrupt disruption of a bipartisan agreement, Biden has notably remained absent, save for a brief statement from his press secretary. Democrats noted that there was no significant push for his involvement at this time.
"I haven't gotten any message from President Biden, or heard of anything that he's saying," Rep. Mark Takano stated. "Elon’s the shot-caller, it’s pretty clear to me.”
As Republicans attempt to promote a revised bill before Friday night's funding deadline, this last-minute turmoil threatens to overshadow the concluding days of Biden’s term, jeopardizing key policy measures that the administration aimed to secure in the year-end agreement.
Amid the search for a solution, lawmakers did not seem to look to Biden for guidance, and the lame-duck president showed no inclination to assist.
“I haven’t spoken to him,” remarked Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Democrats’ lead appropriator, about Biden, adding that she did not anticipate a conversation in the immediate future. “I’ve spoken to the White House. I think their view is, ‘we had a deal.’”
Biden's aides and supporters framed his silence over the past day and a half as a calculated move. They suggested that Trump is likely to bear the blame for any potential shutdown, potentially harming him politically before he even assumes office. They also believed that any statement from Biden at this stage could strengthen Republican resistance, complicating efforts to reach an agreement.
Yet, the president’s absence highlights a troubling reality acknowledged by officials in both parties since the November election: While Biden still holds the official reins of power, Trump — along with Musk — seems to be directing current affairs.
“This is ridiculous,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal regarding the sudden challenges posed by negotiating with various GOP leaders. “We negotiated it and they walked away from it because a shadow president billionaire, who doesn’t care where his rent check is going to come from or where his Social Security check is going to come from, suddenly decided he wants to shut down the government.”
Biden spent Wednesday in Wilmington, Delaware, attending a memorial service commemorating the deaths of his first wife and daughter in a car crash over 50 years ago. When Trump and Musk disrupted the agreement that was supposed to be voted on that afternoon, the White House had already signaled a pause for the day, indicating that Biden would not be available.
The only communication from the administration during the crisis came in a statement hours after the bill's collapse, with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticizing Republicans for going back on their word.
“Republicans need to stop playing politics with this bipartisan agreement or they will hurt hardworking Americans and create instability across the country,” she asserted. “A deal is a deal. Republicans should keep their word.”
In the wake of the turmoil, White House staffers maintained close contact with Democratic leaders on strategy and messaging. One individual familiar with internal discussions explained that the overarching message focused on the extensive repercussions of a government shutdown — including billions in disaster relief funding — while underlining that Trump and the Republicans were responsible for the current predicament.
Despite attempts to manage the situation, Biden spent much of Thursday at his Delaware home, with no public schedule beyond his daily briefing. He did not address the funding negotiations upon returning to the White House that evening.
Biden had not reached out to Speaker Mike Johnson, and top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries was hesitant to confirm if he had spoken with the president recently, indicating only that he had been in “close contact with the administration.”
The White House refrained from disclosing details about Biden's day and provided no further comments regarding the funding negotiations aside from Jean-Pierre’s initial remarks.
As House Democrats exited a caucus meeting Thursday morning, they expressed that Biden's viewpoint on the stalemate had not been a topic of consideration, with several notably referring to Musk as "President Musk" and attributing the responsibility for resolution to Trump and Johnson.
“We have to let folks at home know it’s very likely that we will have a government shutdown,” said Rep. Veronica Escobar. “The clock is running and I have no idea what Johnson’s plans are. I don’t know that anybody does.”
Thursday afternoon, Republicans announced a compromise had been reached, though Democratic leaders quickly criticized the new proposal. If approved, it would prevent a government shutdown during the holiday season and facilitate a smooth transition. However, this resolution appeared to have transpired without any direct input from Biden.
Following Trump’s recent electoral victory, some Democrats have expressed frustration over Biden's subdued approach in the final months of his presidency, arguing it has created a leadership vacuum as the party braces for Trump's return.
This void has been accentuated by Trump's overwhelming influence, which has dictated the GOP's direction and the media narrative almost daily.
However, for the past couple of days, as Republicans hurried to interpret Trump's funding demands, Democrats largely seemed content with Biden adopting a low profile. Even as Trump attempted to shift blame for a possible shutdown onto Biden, even some Republicans struggled to keep pace with the constantly altering narrative.
“It’s pretty obvious it is President Trump’s government at this time, and basically President Biden is no longer involved,” opined Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Republican in the chamber.
Members from both parties acknowledged that Trump was effectively in control, along with the consequences that may arise.
"I don't know what's going to happen," said Rep. Debbie Dingell. "It’s in Republicans’ hands."
Nicholas Wu and Eli Stokols contributed to this report.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
On Thursday, more than six House Democratic lawmakers indicated that the conference had not received any updates from the president, even as Congress rushed to finalize a funding deal to prevent a government shutdown.
In the day following President-elect Donald Trump and his close ally Elon Musk's abrupt disruption of a bipartisan agreement, Biden has notably remained absent, save for a brief statement from his press secretary. Democrats noted that there was no significant push for his involvement at this time.
"I haven't gotten any message from President Biden, or heard of anything that he's saying," Rep. Mark Takano stated. "Elon’s the shot-caller, it’s pretty clear to me.”
As Republicans attempt to promote a revised bill before Friday night's funding deadline, this last-minute turmoil threatens to overshadow the concluding days of Biden’s term, jeopardizing key policy measures that the administration aimed to secure in the year-end agreement.
Amid the search for a solution, lawmakers did not seem to look to Biden for guidance, and the lame-duck president showed no inclination to assist.
“I haven’t spoken to him,” remarked Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Democrats’ lead appropriator, about Biden, adding that she did not anticipate a conversation in the immediate future. “I’ve spoken to the White House. I think their view is, ‘we had a deal.’”
Biden's aides and supporters framed his silence over the past day and a half as a calculated move. They suggested that Trump is likely to bear the blame for any potential shutdown, potentially harming him politically before he even assumes office. They also believed that any statement from Biden at this stage could strengthen Republican resistance, complicating efforts to reach an agreement.
Yet, the president’s absence highlights a troubling reality acknowledged by officials in both parties since the November election: While Biden still holds the official reins of power, Trump — along with Musk — seems to be directing current affairs.
“This is ridiculous,” said Rep. Pramila Jayapal regarding the sudden challenges posed by negotiating with various GOP leaders. “We negotiated it and they walked away from it because a shadow president billionaire, who doesn’t care where his rent check is going to come from or where his Social Security check is going to come from, suddenly decided he wants to shut down the government.”
Biden spent Wednesday in Wilmington, Delaware, attending a memorial service commemorating the deaths of his first wife and daughter in a car crash over 50 years ago. When Trump and Musk disrupted the agreement that was supposed to be voted on that afternoon, the White House had already signaled a pause for the day, indicating that Biden would not be available.
The only communication from the administration during the crisis came in a statement hours after the bill's collapse, with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticizing Republicans for going back on their word.
“Republicans need to stop playing politics with this bipartisan agreement or they will hurt hardworking Americans and create instability across the country,” she asserted. “A deal is a deal. Republicans should keep their word.”
In the wake of the turmoil, White House staffers maintained close contact with Democratic leaders on strategy and messaging. One individual familiar with internal discussions explained that the overarching message focused on the extensive repercussions of a government shutdown — including billions in disaster relief funding — while underlining that Trump and the Republicans were responsible for the current predicament.
Despite attempts to manage the situation, Biden spent much of Thursday at his Delaware home, with no public schedule beyond his daily briefing. He did not address the funding negotiations upon returning to the White House that evening.
Biden had not reached out to Speaker Mike Johnson, and top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries was hesitant to confirm if he had spoken with the president recently, indicating only that he had been in “close contact with the administration.”
The White House refrained from disclosing details about Biden's day and provided no further comments regarding the funding negotiations aside from Jean-Pierre’s initial remarks.
As House Democrats exited a caucus meeting Thursday morning, they expressed that Biden's viewpoint on the stalemate had not been a topic of consideration, with several notably referring to Musk as "President Musk" and attributing the responsibility for resolution to Trump and Johnson.
“We have to let folks at home know it’s very likely that we will have a government shutdown,” said Rep. Veronica Escobar. “The clock is running and I have no idea what Johnson’s plans are. I don’t know that anybody does.”
Thursday afternoon, Republicans announced a compromise had been reached, though Democratic leaders quickly criticized the new proposal. If approved, it would prevent a government shutdown during the holiday season and facilitate a smooth transition. However, this resolution appeared to have transpired without any direct input from Biden.
Following Trump’s recent electoral victory, some Democrats have expressed frustration over Biden's subdued approach in the final months of his presidency, arguing it has created a leadership vacuum as the party braces for Trump's return.
This void has been accentuated by Trump's overwhelming influence, which has dictated the GOP's direction and the media narrative almost daily.
However, for the past couple of days, as Republicans hurried to interpret Trump's funding demands, Democrats largely seemed content with Biden adopting a low profile. Even as Trump attempted to shift blame for a possible shutdown onto Biden, even some Republicans struggled to keep pace with the constantly altering narrative.
“It’s pretty obvious it is President Trump’s government at this time, and basically President Biden is no longer involved,” opined Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Republican in the chamber.
Members from both parties acknowledged that Trump was effectively in control, along with the consequences that may arise.
"I don't know what's going to happen," said Rep. Debbie Dingell. "It’s in Republicans’ hands."
Nicholas Wu and Eli Stokols contributed to this report.
Navid Kalantari contributed to this report for TROIB News
