On March 8, 2025, Donald Trump took to Truth Social to urge congressional Republicans to pass a clean Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government funded, with a proposed extension running through September 30, 2025. With the current CR—enacted via the American Relief Act of 2024—set to expire on March 14, 2025, Trump’s post at 1:25 PM ET emphasized party unity, calling the proposed CR a “very good funding Bill” and pressing all Republicans to vote “YES” in the upcoming week. This push reflects his desire to avert a government shutdown just days away, ensuring federal operations continue seamlessly as he prepares to assume the presidency in January 2025. By advocating for a full-year extension at fiscal 2024 levels, Trump aims to provide a stable runway for his incoming administration to implement its legislative agenda without the immediate distraction of budget battles.
 

Trump’s motivation for this clean CR stems from both political strategy and pragmatic governance. Unlike his first term, where he embraced a 35-day shutdown in 2018-2019 over border wall funding, his current stance prioritizes avoiding chaos that could tarnish his narrative of restoring competence to Washington. With Republicans set to control both chambers of Congress and the White House after the 2024 elections, Trump sees the CR as a way to buy time—roughly six and a half months from mid-March to September—to organize his team and push signature policies like tax cuts and border security later in 2025, when he’ll have more direct influence. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s alignment with this plan, proposing a no-frills stopgap to September 30, underscores Trump’s sway over the party and his intent to project leadership even before his inauguration.
 

However, Trump’s call isn’t without challenges or context. Hardline conservatives in the House Freedom Caucus have grumbled that a clean CR delays action on pressing issues like spending cuts and immigration, priorities Trump himself campaigned on. Meanwhile, Democrats, while open to avoiding a shutdown, remain skeptical of his longer-term motives, suspecting the CR is a tactical pause before aggressive policy moves post-inauguration. Trump’s push, then, is a balancing act: he’s leveraging his influence to unify Republicans around a practical solution, sidestepping immediate ideological fights to maintain public support and political momentum. By securing funding through September 2025, he ensures the government stays open, giving his administration a clean slate to tackle bigger battles on his terms later in the year.