Congress is proving little match for the Department of Government Efficiency as wary lawmakers watch it march through the bureaucracy. When Elon Musk debuted DOGE at the Capitol recently, House Speaker Mike Johnson enthusiastically predicted the coming Trump administration would bring “a lot of change.” Three weeks in, that change is disrupting federal government on an unprecedented scale. Longstanding programs are being dismantled, sparking widespread public outcry and challenging the bedrock role of Congress to create the nation’s laws and pay its bills. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says whatever DOGE is doing, it’s certainly not what democracy looks like.
