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House Speaker Mike Johnson defended Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration after being grilled by a reporter from the typically conservative Fox News about “unelected bureaucrats” exerting influence within the federal government.
Less than three weeks into Donald Trump’s second term, the world’s richest man and his Department of Government Efficiency have gained access to highly sensitive payment systems in the Treasury, acquired classified documents, and led efforts to dismantle an entire agency.
In a press briefing at the Capitol on Wednesday night, Johnson was quizzed on how DOGE, an advisory body tasked with cutting programs and slashing federal spending, and its unelected leader have assumed powers supposed to be reserved to Congress.
“Is there an inconsistency by Republicans on one hand, where we’ve heard for years now, ‘All we want is to not have unelected bureaucrats in charge of things downtown,’ and yet ceding Article I powers to the executive branch under Elon Musk?,” Fox News correspondent Chad Pergram probed.
“No,” Johnson replied, twizzling his pen.
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“Look, I’ve gotta challenge the premise of the question, Chad. You know me. I’m a fierce advocate and defender of Article I. I mean, look, we are the legislative branch.”
Instead, the Lousiana congressman suggested that the media fomented the idea that Musk and Trump’s activity poses a threat to Congress’ legislative power, set out in Article I of the U.S. Constitution.
“There’s a reason the Founding Fathers put the Congress, the legislative branch, as the first article in the Constitution. And we’re gonna vigorously defend that,” Johnson continued. “But what’s happening right now, I think there’s a gross overreaction in the media to what is happening.”
Johnson then claimed the “stewardship of precious American taxpayer dollars” was being well handled.
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He continued: “The executive branch of government in our system has the right to evaluate how executive branch agencies are operating and to ensure that not only the intent of Congress in funding mechanisms but also the stewardship of precious American taxpayer dollars is being handled well.”
Johnson’s comments come a day after Congressional Democrats held a rally outside the Treasury building in Washington, DC Tuesday, where they protested back against Musk’s efforts to dismantle government agencies like the Department of Education and his efforts to dissolve the USAID.
Despite Musk demonstrating his wide-ranging power, Trump claimed it’s not totally unchecked and that all of the billionaire’s actions must go through him first.
“Elon can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval,” the president said Monday. “And we’ll give him the approval where appropriate, where not appropriate, we won’t.”
