President-electDonald Trumpstirred the pot on Thursday by advocating for the outright removal of the U.S. debt ceiling, a move that sent shockwaves through the bond market and tempered Wall Street gains.

Trump's remarks came as Congress scrambled to pass a funding bill to avoid a government shutdown just days before the deadline.

In a phone interview with NBC News, Trump didn't mince words, calling the debt ceiling "a meaningless concept" and advocating for its elimination.

"The Democrats have said they want to get rid of it. If they want to get rid of it...