Trump throws debt limit into shutdown fight

Business & Economy

The Big Story

Why Trump wants the debt limit off his plate

President-elect Trump's recent demands of Congress to act on the nation's debt ceiling — which is only suspended through the end of the year — before he returns to the White House.

The debt ceiling was suspended in 2023 through Jan. 1, 2025, and extraordinary measures are expected to buy Congress and Trump a few more months until a potential default.

Trump said this week that he wanted Republicans to force the issue and raise the debt ceiling while President Biden would be forced to take the heat for signing it into law.

Doing so would clear the deck for potentially trillions of dollars in tax cuts that Republicans have been eager to cement.

Trump, who signed three debt ceiling extensions into law during his first term without cutting debt, also said the limit never actually leads to enduring spending reductions.

The debt limit “doesn’t mean anything, except psychologically,” Trump told NBC News.

“My position is simple — I am not going to raise or suspend the debt ceiling (racking up more debt) without significant & real spending cuts attached to it. I’ve been negotiating to that end. No apologies,” wrote Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) on the social platform X after Trump ripped the fiscal hawk online and called for him to face a primary challenge.

“No apologies. CC: @realDonaldTrump @SpeakerJohnson @SenJohnThune @freedomcaucus,” he added defiantly.

The Hill's Sylvan Lane has more here.

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