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**Trump Complicates Speaker Johnson’s Plan to Avoid Shutdown**
Former President Trump is adding complexity to Speaker Mike Johnson’s efforts to prevent a government shutdown. As the deadline approaches, Johnson is navigating the challenges of addressing the looming crisis.
Trump has persistently pushed for Republicans to attach a bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote with a temporary funding measure. Consequently, Johnson’s attempt to combine this policy with a six-month funding extension faced significant opposition from GOP members. As a result, the vote was postponed.
In response, Trump intensified the pressure this week by threatening a shutdown if his demands for election security are not met. On Truth Social, he stated:
“If Republicans don’t get absolute assurances on Election Security, THEY SHOULD NOT PROCEED WITH A CONTINUING RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET.”
Given the slim majority in the House GOP, passing any partisan measures is already challenging. Furthermore, Trump’s demands add another layer of difficulty, making Johnson’s task even more complex.
Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.) acknowledged the issue: “When there’s significant influence from outside, like from the former president, it complicates decision-making.”
Despite this, Johnson has sought to maintain a good relationship with Trump and supports the voting security bill, the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. He remarked, “President Trump and I are on the same page about ensuring election security.”
Nevertheless, aligning with Trump could potentially lead to a shutdown just before the November elections, a scenario many House Republicans want to avoid. “We’re not shutting the government down with 54 days until Election Day,” said Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.).
Johnson believes a shutdown is unlikely and hopes to pass the CR-plus-SAVE Act if GOP leaders can sway the holdouts. Some Republicans are suggesting an exchange: the SAVE Act in return for a longer funding extension to avoid a year-end omnibus bill.
However, Trump’s focus on the voting bill might complicate efforts to negotiate a resolution. “Every time he says something, it creates a contradiction that causes inaction,” noted one House Republican.
Moreover, another Republican advised Trump to focus on his campaign rather than the shutdown debate. Despite the pressure, Johnson plans to proceed with his strategy, working through the weekend to build consensus.
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