Special Poll
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed inquiries on Friday about President Biden’s low profile regarding the ongoing government funding discussions on Capitol Hill. With the clock ticking down to a potential government shutdown in less than 12 hours, Jean-Pierre chose not to speculate on plans should funding lapse, calling the situation “hypothetical.”
Instead, she attributed the brinkmanship to Republican actions, accusing them of sabotaging the funding agreement. “Republicans blew up this deal, they did, and they need to fix it,” Jean-Pierre emphasized. She argued that the chaos could be resolved if lawmakers would pass the original continuing resolution negotiated by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), which had been disrupted by President-elect Trump and his circle.
Jean-Pierre also highlighted that President Biden had been actively consulting with Democratic leaders like House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and communicating with legislators across the aisle to try to navigate through the crisis.
Meanwhile, Vice President Harris also kept a low profile, canceling a planned trip to Los Angeles without a detailed explanation from Jean-Pierre. Questions about whether Biden would remain at the White House over the holiday were also left unanswered by the Press Secretary.
Jean-Pierre maintained optimism that a shutdown could still be avoided, urging Republicans to honor their commitments and proceed with the bipartisan agreement previously on the table. This sentiment came amidst discussions among House Republicans about a new spending proposal, which would separate votes on funding the government, disaster relief, and farm assistance, according to three sources, but not address Trump’s demands regarding the debt ceiling.
President Trump, on the other hand, took to Truth Social on Friday morning, suggesting that if a shutdown were to occur, it should happen under Biden’s watch rather than after his inauguration. Responding to Trump’s remarks, Jean-Pierre pointed out that the failure to proceed with the bipartisan deal was due to the influence of Trump and Musk, framing it as a missed opportunity for a smoother resolution.
Jean-Pierre also cautioned that a shutdown could impede the presidential transition process ahead of Trump’s inauguration, emphasizing that the ability to facilitate a smooth transition rested with Congressional Republicans.