Republicans worry that a DOGE conundrum is about to arise.
Senior House Republicans have expressed concerns to GOP leadership that attempts to reduce unnecessary federal spending may set the party on a collision course, as Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy make grand pledges to save $2 trillion in federal spending.
Now that the excitement surrounding the establishment of the Department of Government Efficiency has subsided, senior House Republicans, including some who are members of the appropriations committee, have expressed concerns about how to implement the conflicting guidelines set by President-elect Donald Trump.
Republicans have found themselves in a predicament that can be reduced to a mathematical problem with political landmines attached, despite their desire to make significant strides in implementing Trump’s cost-cutting edict. Additionally, Musk and Ramaswamy intend to finish their work by 2026, so they don’t have much time to find a solution.
The $2 trillion price tag Musk and Ramaswamy have set is not met by all of the government’s discretionary spending, which makes up about 30% of the federal budget and includes defense spending that Republicans do not want to reduce. They would therefore have to consider required spending, which includes well-known safety net programs like Social Security, which even Trump has stated will not be impacted. Republicans also want to increase funding to carry out Trump’s campaign pledge of mass deportations, enforce his tight border policies, and back Israel in its ongoing Middle East conflict.
“This business is not private. It would be much simpler if it were,” a senior Republican senator told CNN, outlining the competing considerations. “What I’m hearing is positive, aspirational stuff, but the details they’re discussing are small, low-hanging fruit.”
Even as Trump is displaying signs that he wants to test the waters of making spending decisions unilaterally by bringing back the team that unsuccessfully assisted him in his first attempt, GOP lawmakers have told Musk and Ramaswamy that they must work with Congress, not around them, despite their worries about the obstacles that lie ahead, multiple sources told CNN.
According to many people who spoke to CNN, Musk has even privately admitted to lawmakers that some of his ideas haven’t been well received or won’t work, but he has made it clear that he wants the process to be cooperative. Two sources claim that one such plan that is gaining traction is to fire all federal employees who were employed during the past 12 months. Although there is strong internal opposition to it, many warned that it is still too soon to condemn the concepts.
They have sat down with important stakeholders with great consideration and purpose. However, they are now gathering information, South Dakota GOP Representative Dusty Johnson told CNN. “Don’t criticize the ideas during brainstorming; this is one of the fundamental rules of brainstorming.”
Republicans have brought up the possibility of implementing some of the proposed cost-cutting, administrative, and regulatory reductions through reconciliation, a process that expedites agenda items by enabling lawmakers to get around the 60-vote threshold normally needed to pass legislation in the Senate. However, Republicans are already at odds on how to apply this convoluted approach.
According to two individuals who spoke to CNN, lawmakers have also cautioned DOGE leaders that Trump’s White House attorneys must be prepared to handle anticipated legal action for any changes they attempt to implement outside of Congress, like by executive orders. According to one of the individuals, Musk and Ramaswamy have already sought legal advice and the assistance of volunteers from the business sector as they start to examine government initiatives.
There is unease because of the complex reality.
“I genuinely wish them the best, but you must figure out how to construct the bridge to actually make it happen in government because, at the moment, even though “doggie” is a great notion, many people are asking the proper question: “How am I going to do that?” Nevada Republican Representative Mark Amodei is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.
Concerns that significant cuts could affect military capacity were raised by a bipartisan group of lawmakers attending a prominent event with senior members of the defense community, following Musk and Ramaswamy’s dazzling visit to Capitol Hill last week to preview their new endeavor.
GOP Representative Don Bacon of Nebraska, who attended the Reagan National Defense Forum, stated, “We were talking about that this weekend.” “We simply want to ensure that combat capability is not compromised.” I’m fine for cutting it if you can demonstrate waste to me.
People are addressing the severe cuts that must be made in a sensible way, according to GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who is leading the Oversight subcommittee dealing with DOGE and met with Trump and his team over the weekend.
The struggle to determine who controls expenditure begins.
In the meanwhile, Trump appears to be preparing to test the waters of circumnavigating Congress to implement these cuts—a reality that Republican members appear unwilling to confront.
His choice to head the Office of Management and Budget, which would implement DOGE’s recommendations, is a well-known supporter of Trump’s right to refuse to use funds appropriated by Congress—a procedure known as impoundments. Project 2025 co-author Russell Vought has referred to impoundments as “a necessary remedy to our fiscal brokenness.”
Mark Paoletta, Trump’s choice to serve as OMB’s general counsel, has even written about the constitutional argument for impoundments.
Additionally, Musk and Ramaswamy have authored an opinion piece defending impoundments.
Trump attempted to circumvent Congress during his first term in office by refusing to give Ukraine money while pressuring President Volodymyr Zelensky to assist in orchestrating an inquiry into Joe Biden. As a result of that pressure, Democrats in Congress impeached Trump for the first time. The Government Accountability Office said that the Trump administration had violated the law by refusing to provide the aid, but the monies were eventually made available.
However, lawmakers don’t believe Trump will go there, with many still learning about the legislation pertaining to impoundments.
“We put a lot of effort into gaining and maintaining the majority in Congress. The “thank you” for that, I’m sure, doesn’t mean, “We don’t need no stinking Congress,” Amodei told CNN.
“They have no choice but to work with us, they have to,” said GOP Representative Max Miller of Ohio, who asserted that all parties involved share the same goals.
Ahead of her one-on-one meeting with Musk, GOP Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who will serve as the next Congress’s Senate Appropriations chairwoman, told CNN, “To me, that violates the separation of powers.”
Nevertheless, Collins stated on Thursday that following her meeting with Musk last week, she was “impressed” by him.
Collins stated in an interview at the bipartisan “No Labels” conference in Washington, “As far as the new effort on government efficiency – I can never remember how it’s pronounced, I will admit – I had an excellent 70-minute meeting with Elon Musk.”
Following last week’s listening sessions, the new bipartisan caucus supporting DOGE, chaired by Republican Representatives Aaron Bean of Florida and Pete Sessions of Texas, has promised to collaborate with Musk and Ramaswamy and stated that their work is only beginning. Next week, the caucus hopes to have its first formal meeting.
Even though it’s unclear what to do next, pressure is growing to take action.
On Tuesday, Texas GOP Representative Chip Roy stated on the floor, “It is incumbent upon Republicans for us to advance the ball, to shrink the size of government, actually shrink the size of government.” “Avoid hiding behind DOGE.” Refrain from hiding behind Elon. Don’t conceal yourself behind Vivek.