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PODCAST

Illegal Trump-Musk Power Grab at USAID Suddenly Becomes Bigger Scandal

As Trump and Elon Musk engage in another major abuse of power aimed at USAID, a Dem Congressman explains why their moves are illegal, how Dems must fight back, and what the prospects are for resisting.

Elon Musk does a fascist salute at Donald Trump’s inauguration celebration
Angela Weiss/AFP/Getty Images
Tesla CEO Elon Musk in Washington, D.C., on January 20, 2025

President Trump has empowered Elon Musk to undertake a gutting of the U.S. Agency for International Development that is pretty clearly illegal. And this week, on numerous fronts, this has suddenly become a much bigger scandal. First, Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency took over the agency and locked its workers out of internal systems. Then Musk confirmed that Trump had agreed with him that the agency must be shut down. On Monday, Democratic lawmakers denounced the illegality of these moves, showing up at USAID offices to protest. We talked to one of those Democrats, Representative Don Beyer of Virginia, about why the Trump-Musk assault is illegal and how Democrats can resist it. Listen to this episode here. A transcript is here.