Throughout his first weeks in workplace, Donald Trump has applied a shock and awe strategy to overtake the US authorities and its international coverage. Notable modifications embrace closing longstanding govt companies, together with USAid and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Different huge ticket shake-ups embrace the deliberate closure of the Department of Education, freezing most foreign aid, imposing tariffs on close allies and suspending navy support to Ukraine – though this final plan has been reversed following the signing of a ceasefire deal on March 11.
Almost all his insurance policies had been enacted through executive orders, with no Congressional involvement.
Whereas the White Home has been busy remaking the US authorities, Congress has centered on confirming Trump’s cupboard nominations and making an attempt to go a finances extension that displays the administration’s spending priorities.
It has additionally sat for routine hearings. However it has not exercised its constitutional powers to verify the president, as a substitute relegating itself to a secondary assist position. Congressional Republicans have demonstrated exceptional loyalty to Trump – even on the expense of their very own Congressional energy and potential electoral prospects.
Whereas Trump’s second time period is stretching presidential power to new limits, his strategy is definitely the end result of a decades-long development. Government energy grew on the expense of legislative energy all through the twentieth and twenty first centuries.
Throughout occasions of warfare and disaster, Congress has tended to grant the president broader powers. We noticed this in the course of the Vietnam Conflict with the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, which authorised then president Lyndon Johnson to develop US involvement within the battle. And once more, after the 9/11 assaults with the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). Each resolutions gave the president of the time far-reaching energy to undertake navy motion with out Congressional oversight.
However after the crises handed, the extension of presidential energy was not ceded again to Congress, resulting in an influence imbalance between the manager and legislative branches. This resulted in what US historian Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr, known as “the imperial presidency” in a 1973 examine.
Historically, govt coverage dominance was primarily within the realm of international and navy coverage, whereas Congress was on more of an equal footing when it got here to home coverage. Nevertheless, Trump has dominated in each areas. This will likely set an extra precedent that would erode Congressional energy in the long run.
Congress has been complicit within the weakening of its authority below Trump. Senate Republicans pushed through the affirmation of Trump’s cupboard nominees with little scrutiny – together with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as well being secretary, regardless of his controversial views on vaccines and different points.
The department of government efficiency (Doge), headed by Elon Musk, fired federal staff, shuttered govt companies, and revised finances priorities with out consulting Congress. Congress has made little effort to exercise oversight.
The White Home froze international support allotted by Congress, undermining Congress’s constitutional finances powers, generally known as the “power of the purse”. The US Supreme Court docket ultimately rejected the administration’s freezing of the help, however the judicial problem got here from NGOs and companies, not Congress.
In the meantime makes an attempt by Home Republicans to go a stopgap finances extension would give up extra Congressional energy. The extension, generally known as Continuing Resolution, removes earmarks from the finances that designate using the funding.
If adopted, it would relinquish a lot of Congress’s skill to manage how the funds are spent. However Senate Democrats are threatening to deny the Republicans the 60-40 supermajority they should go the laws. In the event that they observe by means of, it might imply a possible authorities shutdown on Friday.
Muted opposition from lawmakers
Regardless of this eroding of Congressional energy, Senate and Home Republicans are reluctant to publicly problem the president. Whereas Democrats have been vocal about criticising the president’s insurance policies, their minority place within the Home and the Senate limits their skill to mount significant opposition.
Any opposition from Republicans has been restricted to back-channel lobbying with the White Home. This has garnered some success for Republicans. Democrats, in the meantime, have struggled to have their issues addressed through the same methods.
EPA-EFE/Graeme Sloan
Republicans have requested the administration for more involvement in Doge cuts, which has resulted in additional communication with Musk – although no formal oversight has been established. They’ve additionally requested for the cuts to be codified into legislation. This could make them everlasting and provides Congress extra management, however to this point it has not occurred.
Republicans have additionally been profitable in persuading the administration to reverse some Doge selections, together with rehiring fired USDA workers, addressing avian flu, reinstating some funding and companies of their districts, and rehiring fired Veteran’s Affairs workers.
Nevertheless, the flexibility to have an effect on coverage appears to rely on the person’s entry to the White Home. The discretionary granting of the requests highlights Congress’ insignificance within the executive-dominated course of.
Congressional Republican’s assist for Trump’s insurance policies has not wavered regardless of increasing opposition from the American public. Doge firings and cuts to home grants and support programmes have sparked public resistance. People are additionally involved about future cuts to Medicaid and Medicare that can doubtless be crucial with the proposed finances.
Republican members of Congress have obtained a lot opposition throughout city corridor conferences that the Nationwide Congressional Republican Committee has advised against holding them in person. This public disapproval might hurt Republican electoral prospects within the 2026 midterm elections, particularly in contested districts.
The steadfast Republican assist for Trump reveals the maintain that he and his populist base have on the occasion. Republicans are reluctant to oppose Trump for concern of turning into a goal. Given the president’s historical past of retaliation in opposition to those that oppose him – and his threats to do so even earlier than the 2024 election, it leaves little hope that Congressional Republicans will attempt to rein in his unchecked govt energy any time quickly.
That might have everlasting penalties for Congressional energy and the system of checks and balances within the US authorities.
