The Daily Blast: Illegal Trump-Musk Power Grab at USAID Suddenly Becomes Bigger Scandal
Feb 4, 2025
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Don Beyer, a Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia, weighs in on the brewing scandal involving Trump and Musk at USAID. He discusses the legality of Musk's actions, including locking employees out of systems and the push to dismantle the agency. Beyer emphasizes the role of international development in global health and security, warning against cutting foreign aid. The conversation also touches on accountability concerns regarding Musk's informal influence in U.S. aid and the potential implications for Congress's power.
Elon Musk's takeover of USAID, supported by Trump, raises significant legal issues regarding executive overreach and agency governance.
Democratic lawmakers, including Congressman Don Beyer, are actively challenging the legality of Musk's actions through potential legal interventions.
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Illegitimate Authority over USAID
Elon Musk’s involvement with the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), under the endorsement of former President Trump, raises significant legal concerns. Congress established USAID, and changes to its structure should only occur through legitimate legislative processes, not executive orders or unilateral decisions. Reports indicate that Musk's informal takeover is resulting in staff lockouts and funding delays, which directly conflict with established laws and protocols. The actions of Musk and Trump signify a blatant abuse of executive power that may provoke legal challenges from Congress and advocacy groups.
Potential Legal Actions and Their Implications
As the controversy surrounding Musk's authority unfolds, various lawsuits are anticipated to contest the legality of his actions regarding USAID and other federal agencies. Congressman Don Beyer suggests that legal challenges will primarily focus on restraining Musk's influence, particularly his control over significant financial systems without proper confirmation or oversight. The ongoing situation raises alarming questions about accountability and governance, as unchecked authority from an unelected business figure could lead to severe mismanagement of federal resources. The possibility of successful legal interventions could serve as a precedent for reigning in executive overreach in the future.
President Trump has empowered Elon Musk to undertake a gutting of the U.S. Agency for International Development that is pretty clearly illegal. And this week, on numerous fronts, this has suddenly become a much bigger scandal. First, Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency took over the agency and locked its workers out of internal systems. Then Musk confirmed that Trump had agreed with him that the agency must be shut down. On Monday, Democratic lawmakers denounced the illegality of these moves, showing up at USAID offices to protest. We talked to one of those Democrats, Representative Don Beyer, about why the Trump-Musk assault is illegal and how Democrats can resist it.