The Daily Signal Trump Cuts Bureaucrats—Now Congress Needs to Cut the Checks | E.J. Antoni, PhD
Jan 21, 2026
E.J. Antoni, Chief Economist at the Heritage Foundation, dives deep into federal spending and Congress's role in it. He critiques the Biden administration's focus on diversity roles and the broader spending agenda. Antoni discusses Trump's efforts to cut bureaucrats and reduce payrolls while emphasizing that true fiscal reform needs to come from Congress. He highlights the urgent need for spending cuts amid rising deficits and inflation, urging legislators to take responsibility for the financial mess they've contributed to.
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Congress Holds The Budgetary Power
- Federal finance depends on both the executive and legislative branches, but Congress holds the power to pass spending and tax laws.
- E.J. Antony argues Congress must act now because legislators caused much of the spending problem they must fix.
Bureaucracy Growth Then Cuts
- Under Biden, diversity officers and other roles proliferated as bureaucrats expanded into private and public sectors.
- E.J. Antony contrasts that with the Trump administration firing many bureaucrats and reducing federal payrolls by over 250,000.
Regulatory Rollbacks Saved Billions
- The Trump administration also cut regulations and targeted waste through initiatives like the Department of Government Efficiency.
- E.J. Antony credits Treasury and OMB leaders with saving taxpayers billions via deregulation and anti-fraud efforts.