'Shut It Down' Trends On X As Congress Faces Backlash Over Shutdown Deal

Congressional leaders have unveiled a stopgap measure to avert a serious government shutdown with the deadline fast approaching. However, the move got widespread backlash on social media as "shut it down" was a top political trend on X Tuesday night through early Wednesday.

Since lawmakers approved a continuing resolution in September to keep the government funded through Dec. 20, there have been concerns over the opposition of some hardline Republicans in the House of Representatives possibly holding up efforts to prevent a shutdown.

Republican lawmakers revealed Tuesday that negotiators reached a deal on a stopgap funding bill that includes some $100 billion in disaster aid and $10 billion in economic assistance for the agriculture sector.

It also includes over $2 billion in funding for the Small Business Administration, whose funds were dried up during the hurricane season.

The stopgap measure should give lawmakers more time to reach a bipartisan agreement on new spending bills, but ahead of the stopgap bill's release, some GOP lawmakers already expressed opposition, including Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy, who called the bill a "crap sandwich."

The bill would push the Friday funding deadline to March 14, allowing Congress and the new administration to iron out details and issues regarding the 2025 national budget.

Meanwhile, many X users, in particular users who identify as conservatives, have also expressed opposition to the stopgap measure, with some saying it would only benefit the outgoing Biden administration. "Shut it down" was a top politics trend on Elon Musk's social media platform overnight.

Some users urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to "do your part" in blocking "super bills" that don't have the broader American public's benefits at heart. Some users also want the government to be shut down "until [President-elect Donald] Trump gets in."

Others praised Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky for threatening to hold up the stopgap bill. "It takes courage to do the right thing," said one user who agrees with others' views on a short-term government shutdown being better than agreeing to a "bloated" bill.