Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley admitted on Tuesday that Congress is powerless to stop Elon Musk’s sweeping government cuts. “Congress can’t do anything except complain,” Grassley said on a press call, according to a report from RadioIowa.
Grassley also pointed out that Elon’s Department of Government Efficiency (D.O.G.E) has the full backing of President Donald Trump.
The mass firings across federal agencies, which have already gutted regulatory bodies and watchdog organizations, are an executive branch decision, Grassley explained. “The Constitution says all executive power of the federal government shall be vested … in the office of the presidency.”
Trump and Elon Musk defend the cuts on Fox News
Trump and Elon will address the government shake-up in a pre-taped Fox News interview set to air in a few hours. The conversation, recorded Friday with host Sean Hannity, is their first joint sit-down since Trump returned to office last month.
Fox released a preview of the interview, showing Elon discussing his political change from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party. “I used to be adored by the left,” Elon said. “Less so these days because of my support for Trump.”
Elon blamed what he called “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” adding, “You don’t realize how real this is until you can’t reason with people. It’s like they’ve become completely irrational.”
Trump, speaking yesterday at a Florida news conference, teased the interview, telling reporters that he warned Elon Musk about potential conflicts of interest between his private companies and government projects. “I told Elon straight up: You can’t work on government projects that interfere with your companies,” Trump said, referencing Elon’s SpaceX, which contracts with NASA.
Elon Musk shuts down agencies, expands control
Elon has wasted no time dismantling federal agencies. Last week, he shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), an agency created after the 2008 financial crash to protect consumers from bank fraud and fintech scams.
Elon Musk announced the closure with a single post on X: “CFPB RIP” followed by a gravestone emoji. His decision effectively kills consumer financial protections, stripping oversight from the fintech industry just as Elon’s own X platform secures a top banking deal, something the Democrats were quick to point out.
Days before shutting down the CFPB, Elon’s X signed a deal with Visa to launch X Money Account, part of his push to turn X into an “everything app.” The platform will now offer banking services, social media, AI support, and, as critics point out, a haven for extremist propaganda—all under one roof.
Trump defended Elon’s unchecked power, saying the billionaire is policing his own conflicts. “Elon is doing a fantastic job,” Trump told reporters. “You can trust him.”
A report from the Financial Times claims that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expected a formal state meeting when he visited Washington last week, but instead, he found himself sitting across from three of Elon’s children and one of their mothers in what was supposed to be an official discussion on Tesla and SpaceX expansion in India.
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