DOGE Considerably Boosts Likelihood of Government Shutdown
Incorporating Musk's spending reductions into negotiations may appease hard-liners but could also drive away Democrats, whose support is essential for government funding.
TroibNews 
Senior Republicans are actively considering the inclusion of cuts proposed by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency in an upcoming government funding bill, a strategy that could significantly heighten tensions with Democrats and increase the likelihood of a government shutdown.
Discussions among top GOP leaders and President Donald Trump's team are ongoing, though the idea remains in its preliminary stages, according to three individuals who requested anonymity to share insights on the talks.
One source indicated that the proposal aims to codify some of the "most egregious" instances of alleged waste identified by DOGE and integrate them into a government funding measure lasting through the end of the fiscal year. This approach would challenge Democrats to oppose the package, potentially leaving them vulnerable to blame for a shutdown if the March 14 deadline is approaching.
If adopted, this strategy would appease conservative hard-liners who are already dissatisfied with Congress's trajectory toward yet another short-term spending solution. However, it would significantly complicate the political landscape of the impending shutdown negotiation, distancing Democrats whose support is crucial for passage in light of narrow Republican margins in both chambers.
Initially, Republicans had considered advancing a clean continuing resolution (CR) devoid of contentious policy riders. This would have pressured Democrats to align with them, even as GOP leaders dismissed demands to include provisions that would limit Trump and Musk's ability to bypass congressional spending decisions.
However, codifying DOGE actions would be unappealing to Democrats, who are feeling pressure from liberal constituents to resist. Supporting any DOGE cuts would likely be viewed as an endorsement of what they describe as an unconstitutional power grab.
Despite this, some senior Republicans see potential in the tentative strategy, positing that if Trump encourages party members to back the initiative, they could rally their own ranks and only need a handful of Democratic votes to offset any GOP shortfall. Conversely, other leading Republicans express skepticism, questioning how they could convince the required seven Senate Democrats to support it.
Key GOP senators expressed doubts about the proposal on Thursday. “I don't see how that could work,” remarked Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins of Maine, with two other Republican appropriators echoing similar sentiments.
The mere consideration of this strategy reflects the Republicans' confidence that the politics surrounding reductions in the federal workforce—while fraught—may ultimately favor them.
This plan would also address Speaker Mike Johnson's challenges from his right-wing members demanding substantial cuts to government spending within the funding bill. Rep. Warren Davidson mentioned he received guarantees from GOP leaders that discretionary spending cuts would be included as part of his agreement to support the House GOP budget plan earlier this week.
When asked about the specific commitments made to Davidson as he exited the House floor on Thursday, Johnson told reporters, “Stay tuned.”
Additionally, Johnson suggested that codifying certain unilateral funding freezes from the Trump administration, such as those affecting the U.S. Agency for International Development, which DOGE has significantly reduced, could be prudent. “It would not make sense to appropriate funds to divisions of an agency that doesn’t exist anymore, right?” he stated. However, the speaker also expressed a desire for a funding bill that is as “clean as possible,” implying that the inclusion of DOGE cuts may not ultimately come to fruition.
Some Republicans speculate that party leaders might advance this idea to provoke discussion, only to subsequently revert to a "clean" CR without the pro-DOGE provision.
Jordain Carney contributed to this report.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
Discussions among top GOP leaders and President Donald Trump's team are ongoing, though the idea remains in its preliminary stages, according to three individuals who requested anonymity to share insights on the talks.
One source indicated that the proposal aims to codify some of the "most egregious" instances of alleged waste identified by DOGE and integrate them into a government funding measure lasting through the end of the fiscal year. This approach would challenge Democrats to oppose the package, potentially leaving them vulnerable to blame for a shutdown if the March 14 deadline is approaching.
If adopted, this strategy would appease conservative hard-liners who are already dissatisfied with Congress's trajectory toward yet another short-term spending solution. However, it would significantly complicate the political landscape of the impending shutdown negotiation, distancing Democrats whose support is crucial for passage in light of narrow Republican margins in both chambers.
Initially, Republicans had considered advancing a clean continuing resolution (CR) devoid of contentious policy riders. This would have pressured Democrats to align with them, even as GOP leaders dismissed demands to include provisions that would limit Trump and Musk's ability to bypass congressional spending decisions.
However, codifying DOGE actions would be unappealing to Democrats, who are feeling pressure from liberal constituents to resist. Supporting any DOGE cuts would likely be viewed as an endorsement of what they describe as an unconstitutional power grab.
Despite this, some senior Republicans see potential in the tentative strategy, positing that if Trump encourages party members to back the initiative, they could rally their own ranks and only need a handful of Democratic votes to offset any GOP shortfall. Conversely, other leading Republicans express skepticism, questioning how they could convince the required seven Senate Democrats to support it.
Key GOP senators expressed doubts about the proposal on Thursday. “I don't see how that could work,” remarked Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins of Maine, with two other Republican appropriators echoing similar sentiments.
The mere consideration of this strategy reflects the Republicans' confidence that the politics surrounding reductions in the federal workforce—while fraught—may ultimately favor them.
This plan would also address Speaker Mike Johnson's challenges from his right-wing members demanding substantial cuts to government spending within the funding bill. Rep. Warren Davidson mentioned he received guarantees from GOP leaders that discretionary spending cuts would be included as part of his agreement to support the House GOP budget plan earlier this week.
When asked about the specific commitments made to Davidson as he exited the House floor on Thursday, Johnson told reporters, “Stay tuned.”
Additionally, Johnson suggested that codifying certain unilateral funding freezes from the Trump administration, such as those affecting the U.S. Agency for International Development, which DOGE has significantly reduced, could be prudent. “It would not make sense to appropriate funds to divisions of an agency that doesn’t exist anymore, right?” he stated. However, the speaker also expressed a desire for a funding bill that is as “clean as possible,” implying that the inclusion of DOGE cuts may not ultimately come to fruition.
Some Republicans speculate that party leaders might advance this idea to provoke discussion, only to subsequently revert to a "clean" CR without the pro-DOGE provision.
Jordain Carney contributed to this report.
Aarav Patel contributed to this report for TROIB News
