The Daily Signal - Victor Davis Hanson: Sorry, Liberals. DOGE Is 100% Legal. Here’s Why.

Episode Date: February 11, 2025

Is the Left taking the bait? While many in the legacy media continue to berate Elon Musk for his role in defunding bloated federal programs and agencies, Donald Trump remains largely unscathed. Is this part of a larger strategy by the president, wonders Victor Davis Hanson on today’s edition of “Victor Davis Hanson: In His Own Words.” “He's more legitimate—or he has more statutory legitimacy—than earlier presidential advisors, like Harry Hopkins, who moved into the White House under the FDR administration, or Bernard Baruch, who basically ran two world wars, in terms of domestic production, under Woodrow Wilson and FDR. So, let's just dispel the idea that he's doing anything unusual. ... “As far as the executive orders that created the DOGE program and eliminated USAID—that was perfectly legal in itself—USAID was created by John F. Kennedy in 1961 by an executive order. There was a statutory direction for the president to disperse foreign aid into a comprehensive body, but it didn't say USAID—he could do whatever he wanted. ... "And so, Donald Trump has decided to end an autonomous USAID and fold it into the State Department for disaster relief or poverty relief or famine relief. ...  “All Donald Trump is doing is saying, ‘I don't believe the impoundment act is legal. We'll see what the Supreme Court says—but I'm just following the precedent that Joe Biden did.’ But now, the shoe's on the other foot."   For Victor’s latest thoughts, go to: https://victorhanson.com/   Don’t miss out on Victor’s latest videos by subscribing to The Daily Signal today. You’ll be notified every time a new video drops: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHqkXbgqrDrDVInBMSoGQgQ The Daily Signal cannot continue to tell stories like this one without the support of our viewers: https://secured.dailysignal.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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We'd love to talk. Business. There's a lot of controversy about Elon Musk, and let's just dispel some of it. He is not a freelancer. He was appointed a government official. Donald Trump, by an executive order, created the Department of Government Efficiency, and it only is going to last till July 4, 2006. It's not a permanent agency. AID was created by John F. Kennedy in 1961 by an executive order. Let's get straight what Elon Musk is trying to do. He's going through all of these agencies,

and finding waste and fraud, and he has executive authority to do so. Hello, this is Victor Davis-Hanson for the Daily Signal. I want to revisit the hysteria controversy, whatever term we use, about Elon Musk and his role in the Department of Government Efficiency, or Doge, using that term for the executive officer of Renaissance Florence. the Italian word doge as a meme, so to speak. There's a lot of controversy about Elon Musk, and let's just dispel some of it right at the start. He is not a freelancer. He was appointed a government official.

Donald Trump, by an executive order, created the Department of Government Efficiency, and he made Elon Musk the head of it, along with Ramoswamy, who now has resigned. Elon Musk has statutory authority. This Department of Government Efficiency is not a cabinet agency. He does not have to be approved by Congress. And it only is going to last till July 4, 2006. It's not a permanent agency. But he has the same power or lack of such

as the National Security Advisor who does not have to be a confirmed. confirmed by the U.S. Senate. He's more legitimate or he has more statutory legitimacy than earlier presidential advisors like Harry Hopkins who moved into the White House under the FDR administration, or Bernard Baroque, who basically ran two world wars in terms of domestic production under Woodrow Wilson and FDR. So let's just dispel the idea that he's doing anything unusual. As far as the equity, executive orders that created the Doge program and eliminated USAID. That was perfectly legal in itself. AID was created by John F. Kennedy in 1961 by an executive order.

There was a statutory direction for the president to disperse foreign aides into a comprehensive body, but it didn't say USAID. He could do whatever he wanted. And so Donald Trump has decided to end autonomous USAID and folded into the State Department for disaster relief or poverty relief or famine relief. This Giving Tuesday, Cam H is counting on your support. Together, we can forge a better path for mental health by creating a future where Canadians can get the help they need when they need it, no matter who or where they are. From November 25th to December 2nd, your donation will be doubled. That means every dollar goes twice as far to help build a future where no one's seeking help is left behind. Donate today at camh.ca slash giving Tuesday.

But let's get straight what Elon Musk is trying to do. He's going through all of these agencies and finding waste and fraud, and he has executive authority to do so. The Democrats are suing on the principle that they have approved funds for some of these agencies, and Donald Trump is not spending them. And they are also arguing that Elon must exist by an executive order and not a congressional statute. And this is very ironic to tell you the truth. If you look back at executive orders, the number of which have been issued by Democratic and Republican

presidencies, you see two general terms. The two Bushes and Donald Trump are not that much different than the 16 years of Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Where you see the big divide and the number of executive orders is a break between FDR and Harry Truman, to a lesser extent Herbert Hoover and Coolidge and the present. And believe me, during the Roosevelt years and Truman years, that was an all-time record of executive orders. And that got Roosevelt in trouble, of course, with the Supreme Court. As far as impounding funds, Joe Biden set the precedent. You all saw him on tape when he said, SOB, the son of I went in over there to Ukraine, and I said, you're not getting this billion dollars until you do this.

Well, that money had been approved by Congress. And when he became president, there was a statute that said, here's the money to build the wall. And Joe Biden canceled the wall. That was illegal. But he came up with all these, all we have to do environmental studies or endangered species, but he didn't spend the money.

All Donald Trump is doing is saying, well, I don't believe the impoundment act is legal. We'll see what the Supreme Court, but I'm just following the president that Joe Biden did. But now the shoe's on the other foot. And so, again, there is a statutory authority for Elon Musk to do what he does. He has the executive order justifying his agency, his 20-some employees. And more importantly, there's another thing no one talks about. Elon Musk is a controversial figure, and everybody is attacking him.

And whom are they not attacking Donald Trump? So why the media is trying to make a split, Time Magazine had a cover of Elon Musk behind the desk and the Oval – presidential desk on the Oval offense, Donald Trump didn't get angry about that. He said, I didn't even know Time magazine was still in existence. Why? Because Elon Musk, in addition to all of these existing, executive duties he's doing to cut back wasteful spending, he is redirecting animus away from the president to him. And I don't think the left understands that. This is Victor Davis-Hansson for the

Daily Signal. Thank you for watching today's podcast. And for more news like that, subscribe to the Daily Signal. Maybe you can check out my own website at victorhansson.com for podcast, lectures, ultra-series behind a paywall, but more importantly, just daily columns that are accessible and free to everyone. Thank you very much.