Elon Musk’s bold spending cuts through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are hitting a wall of Republican resistance in Congress.
The Independent reported that the White House is pushing to make these reductions permanent, but Republican lawmakers are pushing back hard. This clash risks unraveling the administration’s fiscal agenda.
The White House is scrambling to codify DOGE’s cuts into law, facing skepticism from congressional Republicans.
A proposed $9.3 billion package, targeting foreign aid and public broadcasting, has sparked concerns among lawmakers. The administration’s efforts are complicated by legal and political hurdles.
Musk, who once led DOGE, claimed the department achieved $160 billion in savings. He promised a staggering $2 trillion in reductions during the campaign. However, he has since stepped back, leaving Congress and the Cabinet to handle the fallout.
Republican lawmakers are feeling the heat from constituents over potential cuts to programs like Medicare and Social Security.
Town hall meetings have turned contentious, with some voters shouting down their representatives. Florida Rep. Byron Donalds faced jeers last month while defending DOGE’s benefits.
“Are you going to allow me to answer?” Donald pleaded with an audience member. Many Republicans, advised by the National Republican Congressional Committee, have avoided in-person town halls altogether. Some have switched to phone-in formats to dodge the backlash.
The White House’s $9.3 billion cuts package was meant to be the first of several rescission requests. It primarily targets the U.S. Agency for International Development, now part of the State Department, and public broadcasting funds. Lawmakers began voicing concerns about the package this week.
Congress and the courts are refusing to legally protect DOGE’s cuts, leaving the White House with few options. The 1974 budget law allows funding rescission requests to bypass a Democratic filibuster, needing only 51 Senate votes. Yet, passing even this modest package is proving difficult.
Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole, chair of the House Appropriations Committee, warned that small Republican majorities make passage unlikely.
“Do you want to roll out and have a failure?” Cole asked, urging the administration to secure political support first. He emphasized the need for a strong strategy to avoid embarrassment.
Maine Sen. Susan Collins expressed doubts about supporting cuts to PEPFAR, a program combating HIV/AIDS abroad. “I think it depends on what’s in it precisely,” she said. She noted that slashing foreign aid, including women’s global health initiatives, could doom the package in the Senate.
Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul called the $9.3 billion package a critical test of Congress’s fiscal resolve. “If we can’t pass a $9 billion rescission package, we might as well all pack it up,” he warned. He described the cuts as modest but essential to avoid bankruptcy.
Paul also suggested the package was deliberately small to ensure a symbolic victory. “I think it’s tiny because they’re trying to get to the smallest number they can get,” he said. Still, he stressed the importance of Congress acting decisively.
Robert Shea, a former White House budget office official, underscored the challenge. “None of the activities of the DOGE have heretofore had any impact on the budget,” he said. Without congressional action, the savings remain theoretical, offering no real fiscal relief.
The administration’s push for DOGE cuts risks a constitutional crisis if federal budget laws are violated. Musk himself acknowledged the political pain involved, telling reporters, “How much pain is the Cabinet and this Congress willing to take?” He insisted the cuts are feasible but require enduring significant public complaints.