Trump urges GOP senators to vote against McConnell debt deal

Former President Trump is urging GOP senators to vote against a deal that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) struck with his Democratic colleagues in the upper chamber to raise the debt ceiling. 

“Republican Senators, do not vote for this terrible deal being pushed by folding Mitch McConnell. Stand strong for our Country,” Trump said in an emailed statement Thursday. “The American people are with you!”

Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) announced Thursday morning that he had reached an agreement with McConnell to raise the debt ceiling into the beginning of December. 

The agreement would increase the debt limit by $480 billion. The Treasury Department estimated the short-term extension would raise the debt ceiling until Dec. 3.  

McConnell confirmed the deal with Democrats during a floor speech on Thursday, saying: “The Senate is moving toward the plan I laid out last night to spare the American people from an unprecedented crisis.” 

“The pathway our Democratic colleagues have accepted will spare the American people any near-term crisis,” McConnell added. 

As part of the deal offered by McConnell, Republicans would help to expedite the reconciliation process if Democrats raised the debt ceiling through the process on their own.

The process of budget reconciliation allows Senate Democrats to pass legislation through the upper chamber by a simple majority without GOP support, bypassing the legislative filibuster. 

Thursday evening, 11 GOP senators voted with Democrats to advance the short-term debt limit extension. The upper chamber voted 61-38, a tally that advances the increase to final passage in the upper chamber. None of the Republican senators are expected to support the increase during the final vote. 

This is not the first instance of blowback that McConnell has received from Trump over the debt ceiling deal. He accused the majority leader of “folding” to Democrats on Wednesday. 

“Looks like Mitch McConnell is folding to the Democrats, again,” Trump said in a statement. “He’s got all of the cards with the debt ceiling, it’s time to play the hand. Don’t let them destroy our country!”