Former White House aide Steve Bannon issued a stern warning to Republican lawmakers to vote against the latest government funding deal as Congress races to pass legislation ahead of Friday’s deadline for a partial shutdown.
“And I’ll tell you, this deficit in this budget is outrageous. It’s going to be over $2 trillion — mark my words — over $2 trillion,” Bannon said. he said Thursday on the “War Room” podcast. “That’s why it has to be fought and it has to stop now.”
Congressional leaders announced a $1.2 trillion spending package Wednesday night that includes funding for half of the 12 annual government spending bills.
The bill has faced intense criticism from conservatives, who have urged House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and leadership to give the bill at least 72 hours to consider it. Leaders have called for a vote on Friday morning, giving MPs just over a day to consider the 1,012-page minibus plan.
Bannon, who served as an adviser in former President Donald Trump’s administration, argued that passing the bill would limit him and his economic plans if he is re-elected to the Oval Office. He called on voters to call on their representatives to block the bill.
“We’re going to drag our feet — all these people saying, ‘Oh, we need a bigger majority, we need to take over the Senate, we need to bring President Trump back’ — you “is going to paralyze President Trump’s own economic plan,” he said. “By passing this budget, we’re going to thwart that plan. We’re going to have to fight and we’re going to have to say to people, ‘Hey, if you vote for this, you’re gone. It’s over, I’m done with you.”
“I don’t care what good things they’ve done in the past. This is a signal, not a noise,” he continued, later adding. be brought. they are breaking the rules. ”
Bannon argued that Republicans need to press President Biden to take action on the border if they want to avoid an impending partial shutdown.
“[Lawmakers] You need to tell Biden whether you’re going to close the border now or you’re going to shut down the government. “We’re going to go into the room over the weekend and convince you what you’re going to do to us…from an invasion, such as an executive order that calls for closure, across the border,” he said. “Once we do that, we can talk about funding to restart the government. Until then, I’m sorry.”
Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas spoke with Mr. Bannon earlier Thursday and criticized Mr. Johnson.
“This is a complete lack of backbone, a complete lack of leadership, and a complete failure of the Republican leadership. There’s no other way to explain it,” Roy said. “This bill is an abomination.”
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