Elon Musk has thrown his weight behind a growing conservative revolt, calling a bipartisan spending bill pushed by GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson  (R-LA) “criminal” as it faces fierce backlash from Republicans demanding fiscal responsibility.

Musk, who has increasingly inserted himself into political debates, took to X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, lambasting the proposed bill that would extend Biden-era spending into next year. “This bill is criminal,” Musk posted, amplifying concerns from Republican hardliners furious over Johnson’s continuing resolution (CR) to avoid a government shutdown.

This bill is criminal https://t.co/C4ZfGGtthF

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024

The fight comes as Speaker Johnson attempts to shepherd the short-term measure through the House with just days before federal funding expires. The proposed extension runs through March 2025, giving Democrats and Republicans a temporary reprieve but drawing outrage from conservative firebrands who see it as a betrayal of their mandate to rein in spending.

Musk’s rebuke adds a tech-world powerhouse to the growing dissent. The Tesla and SpaceX CEO has already aligned himself with President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration by helping to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) alongside entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Their mission? Slash federal waste and cut bureaucratic bloat — goals many Republicans argue this bill undermines.

“Please call your elected representatives right away to tell them how you feel!” Musk tweeted. “They are trying to get this passed today while no one is paying attention.”

Please call your elected representatives right away to tell them how you feel!

They are trying to get this passed today while no one is paying attention. https://t.co/OlVJPaC4Wm

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024

Conservatives are furious over the bill’s sheer size and scope, deriding it as a “Christmas Cramnibus” packed with pork and Biden-era priorities. House Speaker Johnson faces a mutiny among his slim four-vote majority. Without support from conservatives, Johnson will need to rely on Democrats to get the bill over the finish line — a move that would only deepen the divide within his party.

THIS CRIMINAL BILL MUST NOT PASS https://t.co/RlD3lNLoCL

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024

In defense of the bill, GOP allies like Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) argue that it is necessary to prevent a costly government shutdown and give Trump’s incoming administration a voice in shaping long-term spending plans.

“While a continuing resolution is not ideal, this strategy ensures President Trump has a voice in shaping the final FY25 bills,” Cole said in a statement. “At the same time, we cannot ignore the devastation caused by natural disasters. This bill provides critical relief for Americans recovering from this year’s hurricanes and wildfires.” But that argument isn’t landing with the GOP’s most vocal critics, who see the bill as a continuation of Washington’s broken status quo.

“Ever seen a bigger piece of pork?” Musk posted Wednesday, ramping up his online campaign against the legislation. The tech mogul urged his millions of followers to lobby their representatives to kill the bill, warning that passing it would perpetuate the very problems Republicans campaigned to fix.

Ever seen a bigger piece of pork? pic.twitter.com/ZesFCNSNKp

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024

“Make it easy to figure out which is the good side!” Musk joked in another post, citing the need for voters to know who stands for real fiscal reform.

Make it easy to figure out which is the good side! https://t.co/TonrLAu6Ki

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024

As pressure mounts, Johnson finds himself caught between competing factions: moderates eager to avoid a shutdown and conservatives demanding a hard line on spending. For now, Musk’s crusade has only thrown more fuel on the fire, setting the stage for a battle that could define the early days of Trump’s return to power. “This bill should NOT pass,” Musk declared.

Absolutely, this bill should NOT pass.

A new bill that isn’t an insane crime against the American people should be done in 33 days. https://t.co/zyZVfccmUV

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 18, 2024

Whether Congress heeds that warning remains to be seen.

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CNN
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Lawmakers from across the political spectrum on Sunday criticized the federal government’s response to mysterious drone sightings in the Northeast, as officials emphasize there is no evidence of a security threat.

The criticism comes a day after the federal agencies leading the response held a news briefing that left reporters and the public with more questions than answers, as they downplayed but simultaneously legitimized concerns about the reported drones.

Officials from the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI offered attempts to dismiss or explain the source of the reported sightings, while also acknowledging their unusual nature. An FBI official pointed to similarities between flight patterns and the drone sightings, saying it’s “indicative of manned aviation being quite often mistaken for unmanned aviation or UAS,” referring to unmanned aircraft systems. That said, the official added, “There without a doubt — without a doubt — have been UAS flying over the state of New Jersey.”

“We don’t know if it’s malicious, if it is criminal. But I will tell you that … it is irresponsible,” a Defense Department official said while discussing the reports of drones over two military sites in New Jersey.

Republican Rep. Mike Waltz of Florida, President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming national security adviser, took particular issue with drones reported over military sites and restricted air spaces, including near Trump’s home in Bedminster, New Jersey.

“I think what the drone issue points out are kind of gaps in our agencies, gaps in our authorities, between the Department of Homeland Security, local law enforcement, the Defense Department,” he told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “It’s pointing to gaps in our capabilities and in our ability to clamp down on what’s going on here. We need to get to the bottom of it, and I think the Biden administration is working to do that.”

Democratic Rep. Jim Himes, a ranking member on the House Intelligence Committee, also expressed frustration with the administration’s response to the public. “The government has a real responsibility to put more information out there so people better understand what the real dangers are,” he said on “Fox News Sunday.”

Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar also called for transparency from the federal government and for potential federal legislation on the issue. “One, we need a briefing for the members of the Senate to figure out what’s going on here. Two, we need more transparency,” the Minnesota Democrat said Sunday on “Face the Nation.”

She added there is also a need for “new regulatory rules,” suggesting she could bring up the issue during the next Congress.

Meanwhile Sunday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas sought to reassure the public amid the sightings.

“There’s no question that people are seeing drones. And I want to assure the American public that we, in the federal government, have deployed additional resources, personnel, technology to assist the New Jersey State Police in addressing the drone sightings,” he said on ABC News’ “This Week.”

Mayorkas reiterated that officials are not aware of direct national security concerns tied to the drone sightings. “We know of no foreign involvement with respect to the sightings in the Northeast, and we are vigilant in investigating this matter,” he said, adding that officials will notify the public if this changes.

Mayorkas spoke with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul twice Saturday about the drone activity, according to a source familiar with the conversations. Hochul, a Democrat, announced Sunday that federal authorities are deploying a “state-of-the-art drone detection system” in her state.

As concern over the sightings has grown in the past week, politicians from both parties are urging officials to take more action.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday that he sent a letter to Mayorkas urging Homeland Security to deploy special drone-detection technology, such as a 360-degree radar called the Robin.

“If you see a drone in your air over your home, you should not have to shake an eight ball to see what it is,” the New York Democrat said in a news conference. “There ought to be better technology. And there is. We need that technology here in New York ASAP.”

Schumer also announced that he will co-sponsor legislation that would give local authorities more tools for drone detection. “Local officials are trying to find answers to this serious problem with their hands tied behind their backs,” he said. “If the federal government has the technology to address the epidemic of nonstop drone sightings, we should do everything we can to help.”

Trump said Friday that the government needs to convey more information and shoot down the drones.

“Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country. Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge. I don’t think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” the president-elect posted on Truth Social.

Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, who sits on the Senate’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, similarly said Thursday the aircraft “should be shot down, if necessary, because they’re flying over sensitive areas.”

Asked Sunday about the president-elect’s post calling on the government to shoot down the drones, Mayorkas said, “We are limited in our authorities.”

“We have certain agencies within the Department of Homeland Security that can do that, and outside our department, but we need those authorities expanded as well,” he added, after he called on Congress to expand the federal government’s authorities — specifically to empower local agencies to counter drone activity with federal supervision.

Himes said Sunday that he has “confidence” the mysterious drones capturing headlines are not a foreign threat from Iran or China, which wouldn’t “put a bunch of drones that we could easily recover over the continental United States.”

He said insufficient communication from government agencies, such as the Federal Aviation Administration, has led to the spread of misinformation.

“There’s a lot of us who are pretty frustrated right now,” the Connecticut Democrat said. “The answer ‘We don’t know’ is not a good enough answer. When people are anxious, when people are nervous … people will fill a vacuum with their fears and anxieties.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN’s Sarah Davis, Sam Fossum, Samantha Waldenberg, Aaron Pellish, Gloria Pazmino, Betsy Klein, Zoe Sottile, Josh Campbell, Artemis Moshtaghian and Michelle Watson contributed to this report.