The White House has a shutdown escape hatch — but it's likely illegal

TeslaTaco

Well-known member
US President Donald Trump's administration is exploiting a loophole to continue paying federal workers despite a government shutdown, with little oversight from lawmakers.

The budget chief, Russell Vought, is utilizing "creative" methods to redirect funds that don't require congressional approval. One notable example is the transfer of tariff revenue to support the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which might be a permissible use under a specific 1935 law intended to promote food consumption among low-income groups.

However, Vought's maneuver to pay active-duty and reserve military service members without Congress's explicit authorization likely violates key budget laws. These laws, including the Antideficiency Act, restrict government spending unless explicitly authorized by Congress. Executives have historically sought ways to circumvent these restrictions, but violating the law carries serious consequences.

A recent executive order allowed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to collaborate with Vought on using unappropriated funds for payroll and allowances. This move may violate Article 1, Section 9 of the US Constitution, which prohibits drawing money from the Treasury without congressional approval.

The White House's actions appear driven by a desire to shield the administration from criticism and maintain public support among key constituents, such as military personnel and low-income families.

As the situation remains unresolved, it is unclear whether lawmakers will intervene or allow the courts to address these concerns. If no action is taken, President Trump may continue to manipulate funds without congressional oversight, raising questions about the limits of executive power.
 
This is crazy 🤯! Like, I get it, the admin needs to pay its people somehow, but come on, using loopholes and creative accounting just to stay in power? It's so uncool 😒. If they can't work with Congress to pass a real budget, then what's the point of even having one? 🤔 And let's not forget about the Antideficiency Act - it's like a big ol' warning sign that says "don't do this" 🚨. But I guess when you're in charge and think you're above the law (which, tbh, is kinda a weird thing to think), you start taking risks 🤷‍♀️.

I mean, what's next? Are they gonna just make up their own rules and expect everyone else to follow along? Because that's not how democracy works, fam 💁‍♀️. We need to hold our leaders accountable for following the law, not finding ways to work around it 🙅‍♂️. The fact that they're using a 1935 law to justify this is just more proof that they're trying to manipulate things to their advantage 🤑. It's all about maintaining public support and shielding themselves from criticism - but what about the rest of us? What about transparency and accountability? 🤷‍♂️
 
Yooo, this is wild 🤯. So like, they're basically finding ways to get around the law and just doing it anyway? That's a major red flag 🚨. It feels like they're more worried about public image than actually following the rules 📝. I mean, if they're gonna do something shady, at least have the balls to admit it, right? 😂 But nope, they'd rather keep it quiet and hope nobody notices 🤫. This whole thing is just super sketchy 🕵️‍♂️.
 
Ugh, this is just another example of how out of touch politicians are with the law 🙄. I mean, come on, they're basically just making it up as they go along and expecting no one to notice. And now we've got some loophole that allows them to pay military personnel without Congress's approval? Yeah, because that's totally not a power grab 😒. And what really gets my goat is that lawmakers are too afraid to speak out against this stuff. It's like they're all in on the secret or something 🤫. I swear, it's like they're more concerned with maintaining public support than actually doing what's right. And now we've got some executive order that lets Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth just wing it? Unbelievable 😡. This is exactly why we can't trust politicians to handle the money 💸.
 
I'm so done with this government shutdown drama 🙄. It's like they're playing a game of financial whack-a-mole. One minute they're not paying workers, the next they're using "creative" accounting to redirect funds without Congress' approval. Meanwhile, President Trump is more worried about keeping his base happy than doing what's right for the country 🤑. I'm all for supporting our troops and low-income families, but come on, there's a reason we have laws in place for this stuff. It's not just about executive power, it's about accountability. And if Congress doesn't step up to address these concerns, we might end up with a situation that's harder to fix than the shutdown itself 🤔.
 
This whole thing just goes to show how the system can be gamed by those in power. I mean, think about it - the government shutdown was supposed to be a big deal, but now it's just a minor inconvenience for the administration. Meanwhile, the people who are actually being hurt by this (I.E. federal workers) don't seem to be getting any attention. It's like they're invisible.

And what really gets me is that it's not even about the money anymore - it's about control and power. The White House is using creative accounting to stay ahead of Congress, but at what cost? What message does this send to the rest of us when we see our leaders playing fast and loose with the rules? It's like they're saying "we know better" than the people who elected them.

The thing is, sometimes the best way to fix a problem is to acknowledge that you've made one. Transparency and accountability are key. If this administration can't work within the system, then maybe we need to rethink the whole system... 💡
 
🤕 This is so messed up... like seriously, who gets to decide how the government spends money? Not just Congress, but also some guy in the White House making "creative" decisions that might not be super legit 🤑. And what's with the WIC program? I guess it's better than starving or something, but still... 🤷‍♀️ The fact that they're using loopholes to keep paying military personnel is just another example of how out of touch these people are 😒. It's like, hello! Congress needs to take a stand and make sure the budget is being handled correctly 💸. And what about accountability? Where's the transparency? 🤔
 
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