(TheProudRepublic.com) – GOP senators sent a message to Elon Musk, insisting that his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) requires congressional approval to make permanent changes.
Watch the video below.
In a Capitol Hill showdown on March 5, GOP senators made clear that while they support slashing government waste, they will not be sidelined in draining the swamp.
Musk, who leads President Trump’s DOGE initiative to save $1 trillion in federal spending this year, appeared surprised when he was informed that his team’s budgetary maneuvers needed congressional backing.
The meeting highlighted growing tension between Republican lawmakers and the administration over who controls the federal purse strings.
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) delivered a clear message to the tech billionaire, emphasizing that proper procedures must be followed despite supporting the cuts.
“To me, it’s ephemeral now. I love all the stuff they’re doing, but we got to vote on it. So my message to Elon was let’s get over the impoundment idea, and let’s send it back as a rescission package,” Paul said.
The meeting revealed that Republican senators are caught in a delicate balancing act – supporting Trump’s agenda to slash government spending while facing potential voter backlash over federal job losses in their states.
Some senators expressed concerns about being blindsided by cuts affecting their constituents.
A proposed “rescission” package is now being considered to codify DOGE cuts, potentially bypassing the usual 60-vote threshold in the Senate.
This legislative pathway would transform Musk’s recommendations into law, addressing concerns about the legality of unilateral budget cuts that have already sparked legal challenges.
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) emerged as one of the strongest advocates for formalizing Musk’s work through congressional action, seeing it as an opportunity to regain momentum for the administration’s agenda.
Graham stated:
“It’s time for the White House now to go on offense. We’re losing altitude. You know, we started off straight good. We need to get back in the game on offense. And the way you can regain altitude is to take the work product, get away from the personalities and the drama, take the work product and vote on it.”
The strategic shift comes as Democrats have accused the White House of overstepping its constitutional authority by unilaterally cutting spending.
By pursuing a rescission package, Republicans hope to put Democrats in the uncomfortable position of voting against government efficiency and spending cuts that conservatives strongly support.
Moreover, Musk reportedly engaged enthusiastically with senators, even providing his personal contact information for further discussions.
The discussions underscored a broader challenge for the Trump administration, which is working to avoid a government shutdown while simultaneously pursuing aggressive spending cuts.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is navigating these competing priorities, working with both Musk and congressional conservatives to build support for a stopgap spending bill.
“We’ll do whatever the White House requests. It’s a little premature to expect that. But that’s certainly a possibility and one that we would entertain, if it’s appropriate,” Johnson claimed.
While conservatives celebrate the elimination of government waste, the political realities of cutting federal jobs and programs are becoming increasingly apparent.
Republican lawmakers understand that their constituents will hold them accountable for changes affecting their communities, regardless of whether Musk or agency heads made the decisions.
The meeting represents a critical moment for the MAGA agenda’s government reform efforts, balancing Trump’s promise to slash bureaucratic bloat with Congress’s constitutional role in budgetary decisions.
For frustrated conservative voters who elected Trump to drain the swamp, this collaborative approach may finally deliver the permanent government downsizing they have long demanded.
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