One would think the President of the United States would be in the thick of finding a funding deal to stave off a government shutdown.
But that appears to not be the case with President Joe Biden, per Politico.
A few House Democrats have remarked that the conference has not heard from the lame-duck president.
While Biden has not been present, President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk have been as the pair derailed a bipartisan agreement in place.
And it seems that lawmakers are not missing Biden — and Musk is more than happy to fill that vacuum.
“In the 24 hours since President-elect Donald Trump and close ally Elon Musk abruptly derailed the bipartisan agreement, Biden has remained conspicuously absent outside a brief statement issued by his press secretary — and for now, Democrats said there was little clamor for him to return,” Politico writes.
“I haven’t gotten any message from President Biden, or heard of anything that he’s saying,” said Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.). “Elon’s the shot-caller, it’s pretty clear to me.”
“I haven’t spoken to him,” Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Democrats’ top appropriator, said of Biden.
She also said she didn’t expect to hear from him soon.
“I’ve spoken to the White House. I think their view is, ‘we had a deal,’” she added.
Those on Biden’s team have touted his absence is all strategic as Democrats look to blame Trump for any government shutdown that may occur.
They also believe whatever Biden says now would make the GOP more determined and risk any deal.
Since the election, it has become clear the executive office is a rudderless ship with Trump and Musk ready to take the helm.
“This is ridiculous,” Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) said regarding the challenge of negotiating with multiple Republican leaders.
“We negotiated it and they walked away from it because a shadow president billionaire, who doesn’t care where his rent check is going to come from or where his Social Security check is going to come from, suddenly decided he wants to shut down the government,” she added.
Biden marked the anniversary of the deaths of his first wife and daughter in Wilmington, Delaware, Wednesday.
The only public acknowledgement from the administration regarding the broken deal came from press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
“Republicans need to stop playing politics with this bipartisan agreement or they will hurt hardworking Americans and create instability across the country,” she said. “A deal is a deal. Republicans should keep their word.”
Biden and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) have not spoken. Top House Democrat Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) would not comment whether or not he has spoken with Biden.
Jeffries did say he has been in “close contact with the administration.”
