Trump calls on Republicans not to avert government shutdown if voting laws are not changed

Hours before the debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, President Donald Trump appeared to position himself against Rep. Mike Johnson's continuing resolution (CR) proposal to avoid a government shutdown.

In particular, Trump called on Republicans that if they fail to change the laws regarding voting, they should not vote for Johnson's CR proposal.

"If Republicans in the House, and Senate, don’t get absolute assurances on Election Security, THEY SHOULD, IN NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, GO FORWARD WITH A CONTINUING RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET," Trump posted on Truth Social.

The CR is a measure the two traditional parties have been discussing to keep the government funded despite profound differences in Congress between Democrats and Republicans.

While the CR falls short of the annual appropriations measures passed by Congress to keep the government open, it does keep the various agencies of the federal government funded at a level set by current law.

Trump's release puts the heat squarely on Rep. Johnson, who is facing growing opposition from some Republicans and fiscal hawks who don't want to support his proposal, a critical situation considering the 221-210 Republican House Republican majority scene.

To sway some of the critics, the CR bill is attached to another Republican proposal to require proof of citizenship in the voter registration process. However, such a bill would have its days numbered in the Senate, as it would be virtually impossible to pass Biden's office, which has already warned that it would veto any bill with changes to the voting law.

When Johnson was asked about the former president's words, he stated that he and Trump "believe that Congress has to do everything within our power to ensure a free and secure election."

Asked whether he expected to end a stopgap spending measure without a voter ID provision attached, Johnson said, without elaborating, that "I’m in this to win it."

For his part, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) did not favor risky election-time bills and appeared to contradict Trump: "A government shutdown is always a bad idea, at any time."