Lawyers use Trump’s own words against him in D.O.G.E lawsuit

President Donald Trump’s own mouth just gave his legal opponents exactly what they needed to win against him in court. During his joint address to Congress on Tuesday night in Washington, D.C., Trump made a statement that lawyers immediately seized as evidence in the ongoing lawsuit against the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

For weeks, the Trump administration had insisted that Amy Gleason was the acting head of DOGE. But Trump, standing before Congress with Musk in the gallery, openly declared:

“I have created the brand new Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE. Perhaps you’ve heard of it. Perhaps. Which is headed by Elon Musk.”

That statement immediately undercut the White House’s previous denials that Musk was officially in charge. Kelly McClanahan, one of the attorneys challenging the agency’s legitimacy, wasted no time. Within hours, she filed new court documents quoting Trump directly, arguing that he had just confirmed Elon Musk is leading DOGE, despite White House claims to the contrary.

Trump’s statement fuels the legal battle over DOGE

Officially, Gleason, a former U.S. Digital Service adviser, was named acting administrator, but that never stopped the White House from repeatedly linking Musk to the agency’s leadership. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, had previously said: “Elon Musk is overseeing DOGE.”

McClanahan’s filing used Trump’s speech to challenge those claims, emphasizing that his public statement directly contradicted the administration’s insistence that Musk had no formal authority. She argued that this contradiction warranted a deeper investigation into DOGE’s inner workings, especially its connection to the United States DOGE Service.

This isn’t the first time Trump has given Musk credit for running the department. In February, he said: “I signed an order creating the Department of Government Efficiency and put a man named Elon Musk in charge.” The White House later walked back that comment, saying Musk was only a special government employee with no more authority than other senior advisers. Joshua Fisher, director of the Office of Administration, had also clarified: “Mr. Musk is an employee in the White House office. He is not an employee of the U.S. DOGE Service or the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization. Mr. Musk is not the U.S. DOGE Service Administrator.”

But Trump’s latest words changed everything. His statement, broadcast live across the country, now stands as direct evidence contradicting his own administration’s official position. That contradiction is now at the center of McClanahan’s case.

DOGE becomes the centerpiece of Trump’s speech

Trump’s Tuesday night speech wasn’t just about policy. It was a show. Trump praised Musk’s presence in the gallery, prompting an immediate standing ovation from Republicans. As the applause settled, Trump leaned into his signature style: “He’s working very hard. He didn’t need this. He didn’t need this. Thank you very much. We appreciate it. Everybody here, even this side, appreciates that I believe. They just don’t want to admit it.”

Cameras panned to the Democratic side of the chamber, where many lawmakers remained seated. Senator Elizabeth Warren was even caught on camera staring at her phone during the Republican cheers, though to be fair, Trump did call her “Pocahontas” during the speech, a childish and detestable nickname given to her by the MAGA.

Then, Trump shifted gears. He launched into a rapid-fire list of government programs DOGE had already cut, rattling off numbers and figures as Musk sat watching. Trump claimed DOGE had eliminated $22 billion in wasteful spending and went on to list specific cuts:

• $45 million for diversity, equity, and inclusion scholarships in Burma
• $40 million for economic inclusion of sedentary migrants
• $8 million to promote LGBTQI+ initiatives in Lesotho
• $60 million for indigenous and Afro-Colombian empowerment in Central America
• $32 million for a left-wing propaganda operation in Moldova
• $10 million for male circumcision in Mozambique
• $20 million for an Arab Sesame Street project in the Middle East
• $8 million for research on making mice transgender

“These are real numbers,” Trump said. “And there are far worse. But I didn’t think it was appropriate to talk about them here. They’re so bad.”

While Republicans cheered, Democrats were visibly frustrated. Some were heard yelling objections during Trump’s speech, but he didn’t acknowledge them.

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