A potentially serious problem could arise in the United States in the coming weeks: Congress must reach an agreement before March 14 to avoid a federal government shutdown starting April 1. Although last December we were close to facing a shutdown under the Biden administration, currently, in the Trump era, there is a possibility that various government offices may close if an agreement is not reached.
Despite the Republican Party controlling both chambers of Congress, in the Senate, the majority is 53 to 47, which forces negotiations with the Democratic minority to achieve the approval of a budget bill that requires 60 votes. Within the Republican Party itself, there is resistance to certain solutions, such as the "continuing resolution".
The chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), expressed his disagreement with a "year-long continuing resolution" unless the defense budget is protected. Meanwhile, the presence of Elon Musk and the decisions of his Government Efficiency Department have generated criticism, even within his own party.
The problem lies in the cuts implemented or planned by the DOGE, which threaten crucial resources and institutions for many lawmakers. A cut of hundreds of billions of dollars could cause unprecedented disruption in the United States, according to some Republican senators, like Jerry Moran of Kansas, who expressed concern about the impact of canceling USAID on farmers in his state.
A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showed a drop in Trump's approval rating, from 47 to 44 percent. It is concerning that 53 percent of respondents believe Trump is doing a bad job on economic issues. The dismantling of government offices has already impacted the president's popularity, and a hypothetical government shutdown in April could exacerbate the situation.
The unknown now is whether Elon Musk and his DOGE will be Trump's Achilles' heel. Although a last-minute deal could avoid a government shutdown, the pressure to reach a resolution increases as the deadline approaches.
