Trump rejects bipartisan plan, causing Congress to spiral as lawmakers try to wrap up for holidays amid Friday deadline

Donald Trump abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan on Wednesday to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown, instead telling House speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans to essentially renegotiate – days before a deadline when federal funding runs out.

The president-elect’s sudden entrance into the debate and new demands sent Congress spiraling as lawmakers are trying to wrap up work and head home for the holidays. It leaves Johnson scrambling to engineer a new plan before Friday’s deadline to keep government open.