Bart Jansen
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump taunted Democrats and fueled new litigation against his contentious policies during his speech to Congress Tuesday while basking in the cheers and applause of fellow Republicans.
Democrats have decried his dismantling of federal agencies, firing of government workers and freezing of federal grants. But serving in the minority in the House and Senate, they have no power to legislate or litigate, leaving them to protest while Democratic state officials, unions, workers and advocacy groups fight lawsuits.”I look at the Democrats in front of me, and I realize there is absolutely nothing I can say to make them happy or to make them stand or smile or applaud, nothing I can do,” Trump said. “These people sitting right here will not clap, will not stand, and certainly will not cheer for these astronomical achievements.”His observation came after Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, was ejected for standing, continuing to shout that Trump had no mandate and refusing to sit down again.
Democrats protested, holding signs with messages including “No King” and “This is NOT Normal.” Dozens walked out during the speech.
“As Americans show up and speak out about how the president’s policies are wreaking havoc on their lives, Democrats will continue to lead the fight against President Trump’s bait-and-switch assault on America − while Republicans stand and applaud it,” Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., the former House speaker, said in a statement after the speech.
Trump opponents are also taking their concerns to the judiciary.
Trump praises Musk for heading DOGE despite court filings saying he is an adviser
In addition to provoking ire in the chamber, Trump’s address also prompted new legal filings against the Department of Government Efficiency, focused on cuts to federal spending, when he commended billionaire Elon Musk, one of his senior advisers.
DOGE is the target of more than a dozen lawsuits tied to its staffers embedding in government agencies and accessing sensitive computer systems to make recommendations for trimming the federal budget. DOGE has recommended dismantling agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau and firing tens of thousands of workers.
But DOGE’s leadership has been murky, as government lawyers initially told judges they didn’t know who was in charge. Joshua Fisher, director of the Office of Administration, said in a filing on Feb. 17 that DOGE’s administrator was Amy Gleason, a former official at the U.S. Digital Service, which was renamed the U.S. DOGE Service.
“Mr. Musk is an employee in the White House office,” said Fisher, who called Musk one of Trump’s senior advisers, adding that he had no more power than others. “He is not an employee of the U.S. DOGE Service or U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization.”
Yet in his speech, Trump repeated that Musk was heading DOGE.
“Perhaps you’ve heard of it,” Trump said. “Which is headed by Elon Musk, who is in the gallery tonight.”
Musk stood to applause from Republican lawmakers and saluted. Democrats held signs with messages such as “Musk Lies” and “Save Medicaid.”
The thrust of a trio of combined lawsuits in Washington, D.C., contends DOGE is violating the Federal Advisory Committee Act by delegating decision-making authority to private citizens without holding public meetings.
Kelly McClanahan, a lawyer for National Security Counselors, which is fighting through the lawsuits for greater transparency, asked a judge late Tuesday, based on the assertions about Musk in Trump’s speech, to order expedited sharing of evidence to determine what DOGE is doing.
Democrats unable to legislate, litigate
Nearly 100 lawsuits have been filed challenging Trump policies. Federal judges have in some cases blocked his priorities, such as firing the heads of independent agencies, and decisions are under appeal. But congressional Democrats have been unable to file lawsuits for lack of control of Congress, leaving the litigation to Democratic state officials, unions, workers and advocacy groups.
House Democrats acknowledged before the speech that they didn’t have the votes to prevent Republicans from approving spending cuts they oppose – or to compete with Trump’s bully pulpit.
“They have the votes; they have the responsibility to govern,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar of California, the head of the House Democratic Caucus. “Republicans have the votes.”
A potential government shutdown looms March 14 if lawmakers can’t agree on how much to spend on government for the remainder of the fiscal year through Sept. 30. Democrats said Americas would feel the pain of a shutdown.
“We’re going to use every tool available to amplify our message against this chaos,” Aguilar said. “But we understand within that House chamber, he is the only one with a microphone.”
‘How did that work out?’ Trump asks Democrats about his prosecutions
Trump taunted Democrats about the four criminal prosecutions he faced in the years between his two terms in office. He was convicted in New York of 34 felonies for falsifying business records to hide a $130,000 payment to keep an adult film actress quiet about an alleged sexual encounter before the 2016 election. He is appealing that verdict.
Trump also remains under indictment for alleged election racketeering in Georgia, as he tries to get the prosecutor removed from that case. No trial is expected during his presidency.
But prosecutors dropped two federal indictments – one that charged him with trying to steal the 2020 election and another with mishandling classified documents after he left the White House – under a longstanding Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
Trump accused Democrats of waging political prosecutions against him. However, local prosecutors and former Attorney General Merrick Garland said his staff was following the facts and the law.
“We ended weaponized government where as an example sitting president is allowed to viciously prosecute his political opponent, like me,” Trump said. “How did that work out?” Trump asked the Democratic side of the chamber, while Republicans cheered and jeered. “Not good.”
