Do Not Worry, One Republican Is Concerned About Elon’s Rampage

This is your TPM evening briefing.
WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 20: Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) speaks with a reporter outside of the Senate Chambers during a vote at the U.S. Capitol on June 20, 2024 in Washington, DC. Senators returned to Washington after th... WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 20: Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) speaks with a reporter outside of the Senate Chambers during a vote at the U.S. Capitol on June 20, 2024 in Washington, DC. Senators returned to Washington after the Juneteenth holiday to participate in votes before their two week recess. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

My colleague Kate Riga was on Capitol Hill Tuesday trying to pin Senate Republicans down on the unmitigated disaster unfolding this week as Elon Musk and his DOGE tech guys bust down doors at a handful of federal departments and bureaus, breaching sensitive data, promising to defund agencies, and, in doing so, dropping a bomb on the constitutional separation of power.

None of the Republicans TPM spoke with really saw a huge issue with the whole thing. One spoke vaguely about how there might be some complications with the unelected billionaire undermining Congress’ allocation of funding, but assured us that that concern would be dealt with before anything unseemly happened. Sen. RonJohn even told Kate he is “happy” when “anybody” takes a look at supposed “waste, fraud and abuse throughout government” — sidestepping the obvious concerns with that “anybody” being the erratic and conflict-o-interest strewn world’s richest man and a gaggle of loyal young coders.

It’s an already-tired talking point just a few weeks into Trump’s second term. Senate Republicans proved just how feckless they intend to be when the majority voted to confirm the uniquely dangerous and unqualified Pete Hegseth as Defense Secretary. They’ve only doubled down in the last week as they voted further alarm-raising nominees, including RFK Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, out of committee.

It’s been speculated that Musk’s rampage won’t last forever. People who suck up more oxygen/headlines than Trump tend to have a short shelf life in his inner circle. But the President is apparently too busy weaving imperialistic visions in front of the White House press pool to notice, at least for the moment, that his new buddy has stolen the spotlight.

And in the meantime the havoc that Musk is wreaking has evolved into a constitutional crisis. Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) — one of the three who voted against Hegseth’s nomination last month and one of two Senate Republicans who sometimes sorta has a backbone — said as much in remarks to reporters on Wednesday.

“There’s no doubt that the president appears to have empowered Elon Musk far beyond what I think is appropriate,” she said. “I think a lot of it is going to end up in court.”

The Best Of TPM Today

Trump’s Chaos Draws Directly From Project 2025

A Full-Blown Constitutional Crisis With No End In Sight

Elon Musk And His ‘Unknown Soldiers’ Have The Federal Workforce ‘On Edge’

Yesterday’s Most Read Story

Musk Cronies Dive Into Treasury Dept Payments Code Base

What We Are Reading

Judge eyes short-term block on Musk allies’ ability to share Treasury records outside the department

There Is No Going Back 

Trump’s suggestion that US ‘take over’ the Gaza Strip is rejected by allies and adversaries alike 


Latest Where Things Stand
127
Show Comments

Notable Replies

  1. Collins’ brow is deeply furrowed. I feel fine.

  2. Heh, DEI fail “one Republican” we name you TOKEN…

  3. I cannot help but think that this constitutional crisis is a natural consequence of the failure to take the January 6 Coup and armed attack on the Capitol to assassinate the VIce President and Speaker seriously and decisively enough.

    We treated the whole thing as if we found some out-of-town tourists jaywalking.

  4. Do you still have your Orange Crush?

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

121 more replies

Participants

Avatar for ajm Avatar for richardinjax Avatar for jeffgee1 Avatar for pac Avatar for eldonlazar Avatar for eggrollian Avatar for becca656 Avatar for inversion Avatar for dont Avatar for sniffit Avatar for mch Avatar for lastroth Avatar for stradivarius50t3 Avatar for califdemdreamer Avatar for southerndem Avatar for eddycollins Avatar for canyoncountry Avatar for demosthenes59 Avatar for fmbnyc Avatar for justruss Avatar for revjim Avatar for thomaspaine Avatar for IBecameACitizenforthis Avatar for ClutchCargo

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher & Digital Producer:
Senior Developer:
Senior Designer: