Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) called Donald Trump Elon Musk’s “puppet” for following the right-wing billionaire’s lead in criticizing a bipartisan spending bill to avoid a government shutdown.
“As the shadow Pres-Elect, Elon Musk is now calling the shots for House Rs on government funding while Trump hides in Mar-a-Lago behind his handlers,” Goldman wrote on X.
“It increasingly seems like we’re in for 4 years of an unelected oligarch running the country by pulling on his puppet’s strings,” the Democratic lawmaker continued.
Goldman was responding to a post from Musk saying, “Absolutely, this bill should NOT pass. A new bill that isn’t an insane crime against the American people should be done in 33 days.”
Goldman’s comments come after Musk spent much of Wednesday railing against the spending bill calling it a “scam,” a “criminal bill,” “an outrage,” “terrible,” and “madness.”
Musk also suggested that any Republican who support the spending deal will be primaried.
A House Republican described the plan as “collapsing” in the wake of Musk’s posts, driving a surge of calls to member’s offices, according to CNN.
Trump and Vance also released a slamming the bill for including Democratic priorities and called on Republicans to attach demands to the debt limit debate to the bill to keep the government open.
“Republicans want to support our farmers, pay for disaster relief, and set our country up for success in 2025,” Trump and Vance said. “The only way to do that is with a temporary funding bill WITHOUT DEMOCRAT GIVEAWAYS combined with an increase in the debt ceiling. Anything else is a betrayal of our country.”
In response to Trump’s statement Goldman wrote, “And just a few hours later, the Puppet President-Elect weighs in to faithfully execute his benefactor Elon Musk’s orders.”
Musk reportedly spent more than a quarter of a billion dollars to help send Trump back to the White House.
