Government shutdown live updates: Musk weighs in again as Republicans scramble

The Tesla billionaire and X owner is weighing in again as lawmakers search for an eleventh-hour solution.

"Either the government should pass sensible bills that actually serve the people or shut it down!" Musk wrote on X.

His post came shortly after Trump also urged the shutdown to "begin now" under the Biden administration rather than during his presidency if lawmakers were unable to come to an agreement.

The funding fight has been a forum for Musk to exert his political influence. Musk has become a key member of President-elect Donald Trump's inner circle, and played a role in torpedoing an original government spending plan that had bipartisan support.

In floor remarks on Friday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged Republicans to return to the original bipartisan funding plan.

"If Republicans do not work with Democrats in a bipartisan way very soon the government will shut down at midnight. It is time to go back to the original agreement we had just a few days ago," Schumer said.

"It's the quickest, simplest, and easiest way we can make sure the government stays open while delivering critical emergency aid to the American people. If the House put our original agreement on the floor today it would pass and we could put the threat of a shutdown behind us," Schumer said.

The comments came as Speaker Mike Johnson huddled in his office with Vice President-elect JD Vance and other lawmakers to try to come up with a third funding option to vote on.

Democrat Patty Murray, the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is making it clear that she's preparing for a fight on government funding.

"I'm ready to stay here through Christmas because we're not going to let Elon Musk run the government," Murray said.

Her statement signals that Senate Democrats may not be willing to roll over and accept whatever funding measure the House manages to pass.

Senate Democrats, including Murray and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, are continuing to advocate for a return to the bipartisan deal that President-elect Donald Trump helped to kill earlier this week.

"The American people do not want chaos or a costly government shutdown all because an unelected billionaire wants to call the shots -- I am ready to work with Republicans and Democrats to pass the bipartisan deal both sides negotiated as soon as possible," Murray said.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

Trump said on Friday morning that if there is going to be a government shutdown, it should "begin now."

"If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now, under the Biden Administration, not after January 20th, under 'TRUMP,'" Trump wrote in a social media post.

"This is a Biden problem to solve, but if Republicans can help solve it, they will!" Trump added.

The message came after House Republicans on Thursday night failed to pass a Trump-backed spending proposal after 38 GOP members rejected the plan.

-ABC News' Soorin Kim, Lalee Ibssa and Kelsey Walsh