Elon Musk has ignited a political storm by claiming to have dismantled USAid, the United States’ foreign assistance agency. This bold move has sparked debates over legal authority and raised concerns about potential constitutional crises. Although USAid can only be closed through congressional action, Musk has referred to it as “evil” and “a criminal organisation.” He has described his actions as “feeding USAid to the wood chipper.” These developments have led to significant political discord in Washington.
The newly appointed Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has stepped in as the acting director of USAid, pending its incorporation into the State Department. Meanwhile, some Republican senators have expressed unease about Musk's actions, questioning his legal authority to shutter a government agency. John Thune, the Republican leader in the Senate, clarified that Musk had not closed the agency but merely paused operations to scrutinize its spending. Democrats, however, have accused Musk of orchestrating a "constitutional crisis," with Chuck Schumer, the Senate Democratic leader, promising to propose legislation to prevent "unlawful meddling" in the nation's payment system by Musk and his self-declared "department of government efficiency" (Doge).
"Whatever Doge is doing, it is certainly not what democracy looks like, or has ever looked like in the grand history of this country, because democracy does not work in the shadows, democracy does not skirt the rule of law," – Chuck Schumer
Doge currently operates without congressional oversight or authority, which has raised alarms among lawmakers. Some Republican senators have publicly voiced their concerns. Susan Collins, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, questioned Musk's authority to close USAid.
“We clearly did not get that. We got the letter yesterday,” – Susan Collins
Lisa Murkowski, another Republican senator, echoed these concerns and highlighted the ambiguity surrounding Musk's legal authorization.
“The president is suggesting that [Musk] has authorisation. I think there is more than some question,” – Lisa Murkowski
Shelley Moore Capito emphasized the importance of maintaining congressional control over government spending and warned against any encroachment on this power.
“We do have to really make sure that the spending and the appropriation and the power of the purse remains with the House and Senate,” – Shelley Moore Capito
“Any encroachment on that, I think we should, as a body, stand up and resist.” – Shelley Moore Capito
Thom Tillis suggested that seeking congressional approval would be beneficial before implementing such drastic changes. He noted that for any significant alterations to have lasting impact, they would require congressional action.
“It would be helpful” if Trump or Musk sought congressional approval before ordering such drastic changes," – Thom Tillis
“At some point, it’s going to require congressional action to have staying power,” – Thom Tillis
The unfolding situation has fueled speculation about President Trump's involvement. He has indicated a willingness to challenge Musk's actions by asserting the right to impound funds authorized by Congress. This potential confrontation could deepen the constitutional crisis.