Trump's Shocking Demand Dropped in Desperate Bid to Avoid Government Shutdown

House Republicans are planning to move forward with a last-ditch effort to avoid a government shutdown by voting on Friday afternoon to extend current government funding levels until mid-March, dropping a demand from President-elect Donald Trump to attach a debt limit increase to the spending bill.

This sudden turnaround is seen as a significant development in the ongoing saga to pass a new spending bill, with the current funding set to expire at midnight on Friday. The decision to drop Trump's demand for a debt limit increase is a strategic move to garner bipartisan support and prevent a potentially disastrous government shutdown.

The debt limit increase had been a major point of contention between Republicans and Democrats, with the latter refusing to support any bill that included such a provision. By dropping this demand, House Republicans are hoping to create a more palatable bill that can secure enough votes to pass both the House and the Senate.

The new spending bill would extend current government funding levels until mid-March, providing a temporary reprieve from the shutdown threat. This would give lawmakers a few more months to hammer out a longer-term spending deal, potentially avoiding another shutdown crisis in the near future.

Despite this development, the path forward remains uncertain. The Senate still needs to approve the bill, and there are concerns that some Republicans may still oppose the measure due to its lack of conservative priorities. Additionally, Democrats may try to attach their own amendments to the bill, potentially complicating its passage.

The stakes are high, with a government shutdown having significant consequences for federal employees, government services, and the overall economy. A shutdown would result in the furlough of hundreds of thousands of federal workers, disrupt vital services such as national parks and food assistance programs, and potentially harm the country's economic recovery.

As the clock ticks down to the funding deadline, lawmakers are under intense pressure to find a solution. The decision to drop Trump's debt limit demand is a crucial step towards avoiding a shutdown, but it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to secure passage of the spending bill.

One thing is certain – the next few hours will be crucial in determining the fate of the government funding bill and the future of the country's fiscal policy. As lawmakers scramble to find a solution, the nation holds its breath, hoping that a shutdown can be avoided and the government can continue to function without interruption.