PoliticsPresident Joe Biden 'AWOL' During Government Shutdown Fight Despite Changing Christmas Plans to Stay at the White House: 'He's Completely Disappeared'
President-elect Donald Trump attempted to shut down the government spending bill, while President Joe Biden did not try to influence the bill.
Despite abruptly deciding to spend his Christmas at the White House, President Joe Biden was absent from the government shutdown fight in Washington, D.C., this week.
While Donald Trump, Elon Musk and their allies were wrestling with lawmakers in an attempt to shut down a bipartisan bill to keep the government funded, the 82-year-old stayed away from the drama on Capitol Hill.
Joe Biden's press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, claimed Joe Biden's silence was a 'strategy.'
“We’re just not seeing them. And he’s completely disappeared,” GOP strategist Doug Heye said of the president and Vice President Kamala Harris. “Biden is AWOL and it’s reasonable to question whether some of that is because he’s just not up to the task.”
Meanwhile, the president’s press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed Biden’s silence was part of a “strategy” to highlight how the issue “is for Republicans in the House to fix.”
Another strategist pointed out how Democrats don’t seem to care if Biden helps them fight against Trump and Musk’s attempt to control legislation.
“The bigger story is that no one is asking him to be involved. Democrats in Washington just want the Bidens and their people to get the h--- out of town so we can move on from them,” they shared.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris recently changed their travel plans to stay in Washington, D.C., for Christmas.
Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.) claimed even if Biden weighed in, his statements wouldn’t have much sway.
“President Biden has been in lame-duck status for most of this year. Even if he had something to say, it doesn’t seem there would be anyone listening,” Curbelo noted. “His only strategy is to let President Trump, Elon Musk, and the Speaker own the chaos, since it was their decision to torpedo that bipartisan agreement [Speaker Mike] Johnson had built.”
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In the end, Congress was able to finally pass the bipartisan spending bill on 12:38 a.m. Saturday, December 21, just in time to avoid a shutdown.
The House voted 366 to 34 to approve the measure and the Senate voted 85 to 11 in favor. More Democratic than Republicans supported the legislation and all the "No" votes came from GOP holdouts.
Donald Trump and Elon Musk attempted to shut down the government by trying to get Republicans to reject the funding bill.
As OK! previously reported, Biden’s lack of action came after he and Harris created public concern due to their change in travel.
On Thursday, December 19, the father-of-four — who was supposed to spend the holidays in Delaware — and the former California Attorney General — who planned to go back to the Golden State for Christmas — both canceled their flights home.
Congress passed a bipartisan spending bill to avert a government shutdown at 12:38 a.m. on Saturday, December 21.
Harris’ message read she will "not travel to Los Angeles, CA, and will remain in Washington, D.C." after she had originally been scheduled to leave for the airport at 9:15 p.m. ET and land in Southern California at 11:35 p.m. PT.
On Friday, December 20, Harris’ office confirmed: "The Vice President will be in Washington, D.C. where she will receive briefings and conduct internal meetings with staff. These meetings will be closed press."
The Hill reported on Biden's absence during the government shutdown fight.
