House Republicans have largely ignored Elon Musk's threat to oust lawmakers who supported the original government funding package he succeeded earlier this week.
After the tech billionaire called on supporters of the bipartisan bill to vote it down within two years, some Republicans downplayed Musk's outrage as just part of a Washington political “game” did.
But even for those who seem unfazed by the threats, some colleagues have good reason to be concerned, given Musk's vast wealth, ties to President-elect Trump, and growing influence in Congress. This suggests that there may be.
“I've run in the primaries four times, and I'm more of a rebellious person. When I'm threatened, I turn on my heels, and I don't respond well to threats,” said one Republican lawmaker wearing a mask. He talked about his main threats.
Speaking candidly on condition of anonymity, the congressman said, “During the last primary election, all the socially influential people with 1 million followers opposed me, but I never took a step forward. I didn't back down,” he added.
He was among the House Republicans defending the original funding bill introduced Tuesday night by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) to avert a shutdown.
The bill quickly drew heavy criticism from conservative fiscal hawks, including Mr. Musk. Musk posted dozens of posts online Wednesday calling on lawmakers to reject the more than 1,500-page bill, describing it as a big piece of “pork.”
Musk, a co-leader of President Trump's Department of Government Efficiency committee focused on cutting government spending, said lawmakers who supported the bill should be voted out of office in 2026.
President Trump used the same tactic Thursday to urge Texas Republicans to consider a primary challenge to Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), who opposes the president-elect's push to raise the debt ceiling. did.
Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wis.) when asked about Musk's threats.c.) Pointing to his experience as a retired Navy SEAL senior chief, he quipped, “There aren't that many things I'm afraid of.”
“I work for the people of Wisconsin's 3rd Congressional District,” he repeated twice on The Hill.
Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.), like the first Republican, cited past primary victories as a reason not to fear Mr. Musk or other major threats.
“I'm not worried, because I already got the primary and it didn't go that well. I'll do the right thing and that's all I can do,” McCormick said.
After an initial proposal collapsed, House leadership on Thursday introduced a “clean” continuing resolution (CR) that included President Trump's call for an early repeal of the debt ceiling.
Despite support from Trump, Vance and Musk, a “Plan B” to avert a government shutdown failed to pass the floor Thursday night, with House Republicans facing a midnight Friday deadline. I'm in a hurry to achieve “Plan C.”
McCormick was one of 38 Republicans to vote against a clean CR, but later acknowledged that Musk was influenced by some House members and suggested he would not bow to pressure. .
“Last I checked, Elon Musk didn't have a vote in Congress. Now he has influence and will pressure us to do whatever he thinks is right for him. But I have 760,000 people who voted to do what's right for them.” he told CNN on Thursday.
Another Republican told The Hill that he doesn't fear retaliation from Trump because he agrees with tech industry leaders and the president's positions.
Asked what he would do if he disagreed with Musk or Trump, he said: “I'm going to vote my district. I'm going to vote my conscience.”
While some seem to be downplaying Musk's threats, he stressed that his colleagues may not feel the same way.
“There are a lot of people who need to try not to offend anyone, not to ruin their leadership chances, not to offend the president. And you're doing it right.” There are people who just do it,” the second Republican said.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) went so far as to say that Musk is “100 percent” a legitimate threat to the public's interests in Congress, adding that Musk is “not afraid of anyone in particular.” No,” he said.
Musk, the world's richest man, spent nearly $250 million on the presidential campaign to support Trump. he has maintained His political action committee, America PAC, will continue to support Republicans through the midterm elections and participate in the primaries.
While Republicans have signaled they are standing up to Musk's threats, House Democrats were quick to criticize their colleagues for what they described as capitulation to Musk's pressure on the first version of the spending bill.
Democrats began referring to the SpaceX and Tesla owner as “President Musk,” using the situation as an opportunity to question President Trump's control of his party.
Trump's team rejected these accusations.
“As soon as President Trump announced his official position on CR, Republicans on Capitol Hill echoed his view. President Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. A total halt,” Trump Vance Team Transition Spokesperson said. Carolyn Leavitt said in a statement shared with The Hill.
Reflecting on character description, Musk writes about X:“I am not the author of this proposal. Credit goes to @realDonaldTrump, @JDVance, and @SpeakerJohnson.”
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.), who met with House Republican leaders Thursday during discussions on the second spending bill, acknowledged that Mr. Musk was not part of those conversations.
“It was Trump, it's always Trump,” she told The Hill. “I know the media is trying to pit Elon and Trump against each other. Just because Elon called them out on BS, just because they're annoyed, Elon is in charge. That doesn't mean.”
Amid intense criticism from Democrats, Mr. Musk said Thursday that he would fund moderate primaries against incumbent Democrats in deep blue districts across the country.
