Expecting Republican lawmakers to stand up for Congress’ constitutional power to set the budget might be giving MAGA foot soldiers too much credit. Still, it’s shocking to see the GOP grunts actively argue for their irrelevance on national television.
Elon Musk’s stan army of legislators went on a Sunday show offensive, fanning out to NBC’s “Meet the Press” and ABC’s “This Week” to spread the word that he can do whatever he wants to the federal budget. They wanted the Kristen Welkers of the world to know that the Constitution had flopped in its first 250 years out and that they were happy to fanboy out while the Department of Government Efficiency stripped the legislature of its purpose.
Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin led the charge on NBC, saying that “every successful business owner” understands the haphazard and legally suspect cuts that Musk is making to the federal government.
“Cuts had to take place. And every business business owner understands this. Every business owner understands that you have to get your house in order before you can advance,” Mullin said in defense of the businessman whose purchase of a social media platform cratered its value by an estimated 80%.
“He’s literally the best entrepreneur we’ve had in our lifetime and he’s doing it for free,” Mullin continued.
In the friendlier confines of the “Fox News Sunday” set, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, gleefully read a story about the firing of National Park Service employees and said “most Americans” were happy to get rid of “stupid spending” without acknowledging that Congress sets the country’s annual budget.
“I think American voters like the intensity and the focus they’ve seen from 30-some days of this administration,” Jordan said. “Particularly when they see some of the crazy things that their tax dollars were being used for.”
Host Shannon Bream pushed back against Jordan’s characterization, noting that the stories of chaos at federal agencies are likely to shift public opinion and saying that Musk’s recent “justify your jobs” email is likely to have one result: another wave of lawsuits against the Trump administration.
“We’ve already got about 80 [lawsuits] that we’re tracking with regards to recent policy,” she said.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., refused to even acknowledge DOGE’s tactics on “This Week.” In the steady monotone of a public affairs officer, Lawler painted the slapdash efforts of Musk’s army of teenagers and 20-somethings as a “comprehensive forensic audit.”
“We have many, many, many people who do a phenomenal job on behalf of the American people,” he said. “When you’re staring down $36 trillion in debt and counting, obviously something has to give.”
