Elon Musk Changes Tone, Applauds Speaker Johnson: 'It Went From A Bill That Weighed Pounds To One That Weighed Ounces'

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who had earlier expressed skepticism over Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) latest plan, shifted his stance after the passage of a spending package to avert a government shutdown.

What Happened: Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Musk praised Johnson's efforts saying, "The Speaker did a good job here, given the circumstances. It went from a bill that weighed pounds to a bill that weighed ounces."

See Also: Mike Johnson Vows No Christmas Omnibus, Breaking From A ‘Terrible Tradition’: ‘We’re Not Going To Do Any Buses, OK?’

Musk had previously questioned whether Johnson's plan, which involved a vote on the failed bill without a debt ceiling provision, was more aligned with Republicans or Democrats.

On Friday, the House of Representatives passed a stopgap funding measure, narrowly avoiding a government shutdown just hours before the deadline.

Following the passage of a spending package to avert a government shutdown, House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said, “House Democrats have successfully stopped extreme MAGA Republicans from shutting down the government, crashing the economy, and hurting working-class Americans all across the land.”

In response to Jeffries' comments, Musk sarcastically congratulated him on the spending bill victory. His post featured a stack of documents split into two piles—one significantly larger than the other—seemingly critiquing the complexity of legislative processes.

Why It Matters: The House’s decision came after a week of intense Republican infighting.

Speaker Johnson had initially brokered a bipartisan funding deal with Democrats, but it was derailed by opposition from both President-elect Donald Trump and Musk.

“Your elected representatives have heard you and now the terrible bill is dead. The voice of the people has triumphed,” the tech mogul posted on X at the time.

To avoid a government shutdown set for midnight on Friday, Republican leaders unveiled a “Plan C.” 

This strategy involved holding separate votes on three crucial measures: a short-term funding bill to extend government operations for three months, a $100 billion disaster relief package, and a $10 billion farm aid bill.

Read Next:

• Mike Johnson Urges Calm On Result Certification: The Election Is ‘Too Big To Rig’

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Photo courtesy: Shutterstock