GlitchGoat
Well-known member
Trump's Federal Spending Gambit: A Recipe for Disaster?
The federal shutdown has dragged on for weeks, with no end in sight. Instead of finding a congressional off-ramp to resolve the issue, President Donald Trump and his budget chief Russell Vought are taking matters into their own hands.
In a move that is being hailed as "creative" by some but criticized as potentially illegal by others, the White House has been secretly using research and development funds to pay federal employees who haven't received their paychecks due to the shutdown. This is despite there being provisions in place within Pentagon funding bills that allow for the defense secretary to transfer money around if needed.
Critics argue that this is a blatant attempt to circumvent Congress' authority over spending and could be seen as violating the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits federal officials from spending or obligating money that has not been appropriated by law. The White House is betting that the negative optics of taking such action will outweigh any potential backlash from lawmakers.
In a surprising move, Trump signed an executive order authorizing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to work with Vought to "use for the purpose of pay and allowances any funds appropriated by Congress that remain available for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2026." This has raised eyebrows among experts, who point out that such actions could be seen as a clear breach of budget law.
The White House's actions are not limited to this single move. It has also been using revenue from Trump's escalating tariffs to fund the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which is under the Department of Agriculture. This has been seen as a cynical move aimed at bolstering support for Republican lawmakers who have historically been opposed to federal assistance programs.
While some argue that this is simply politics as usual in Washington, others see it as a sign of a growing trend in which the White House is increasingly disregarding Congress' authority over spending.
As one expert noted, "The president can't just turn around and spend income tax dollars. It's just a tax." This highlights the complex web of laws and regulations that govern federal spending, and the potential risks of taking such actions without proper authorization.
With the White House pushing the limits of the law even further, it remains to be seen whether Congress or the courts will step in to block these moves. For now, Trump's willingness to treat the Treasury like the White House's ATM seems unlikely to change anytime soon.
The federal shutdown has dragged on for weeks, with no end in sight. Instead of finding a congressional off-ramp to resolve the issue, President Donald Trump and his budget chief Russell Vought are taking matters into their own hands.
In a move that is being hailed as "creative" by some but criticized as potentially illegal by others, the White House has been secretly using research and development funds to pay federal employees who haven't received their paychecks due to the shutdown. This is despite there being provisions in place within Pentagon funding bills that allow for the defense secretary to transfer money around if needed.
Critics argue that this is a blatant attempt to circumvent Congress' authority over spending and could be seen as violating the Antideficiency Act, which prohibits federal officials from spending or obligating money that has not been appropriated by law. The White House is betting that the negative optics of taking such action will outweigh any potential backlash from lawmakers.
In a surprising move, Trump signed an executive order authorizing Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to work with Vought to "use for the purpose of pay and allowances any funds appropriated by Congress that remain available for expenditure in Fiscal Year 2026." This has raised eyebrows among experts, who point out that such actions could be seen as a clear breach of budget law.
The White House's actions are not limited to this single move. It has also been using revenue from Trump's escalating tariffs to fund the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), which is under the Department of Agriculture. This has been seen as a cynical move aimed at bolstering support for Republican lawmakers who have historically been opposed to federal assistance programs.
While some argue that this is simply politics as usual in Washington, others see it as a sign of a growing trend in which the White House is increasingly disregarding Congress' authority over spending.
As one expert noted, "The president can't just turn around and spend income tax dollars. It's just a tax." This highlights the complex web of laws and regulations that govern federal spending, and the potential risks of taking such actions without proper authorization.
With the White House pushing the limits of the law even further, it remains to be seen whether Congress or the courts will step in to block these moves. For now, Trump's willingness to treat the Treasury like the White House's ATM seems unlikely to change anytime soon.
, the dude needs to follow the rules, not make up his own. using funds meant for research and dev to pay gov employees? that's not how it works 
, he's basically saying congress isn't doing their job, which isn't fair. and what about the Antideficiency Act? doesn't he know that's a thing? 
this whole thing is just creating more drama and setting up for some big court battle down the line. it's like he's playing with fire 
... I mean, come on, using R&D funds to pay employees who haven't gotten paid? That's some sneaky stuff! 
It feels like they're just trying to get around Congress and break the rules. And what's with using tariffs revenue to fund WIC? That doesn't sit right with me either... 
. We need some kind of accountability here. If Trump wants to make changes to spending, he should be working with Congress like everyone else, not just making it up as he goes along. 
The President thinks he can just play fast and loose with the budget like it's his own personal piggy bank? Newsflash: it's not a game, guys! 
We're talking about millions of people who are already struggling because of the shutdown, and the White House is using funds meant for R&D to pay them. That's just basic human decency... or lack thereof 
Not sure about this move by the White House... it's like they're trying to break all the rules and just wing it. 
I mean, can't they see that playing with fire like this could end in disaster? 
. But if Congress is so lax on this issue, then maybe we need to take a step back and re-examine our own rules and regulations.
. And what's with this "creative" move to pay federal employees with R&D funds? That's just a recipe for disaster 
. I don't know about you guys, but I think we need Congress to be able to regulate spending and make sure the President doesn't just do whatever they want 
. Newsflash: it's not 
. It's like taking money from one place and putting it in another without asking anyone first 
. It's not just about finding a solution; it's also about sending a message that the White House is in charge 
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. We need to keep an eye on what happens next, especially since there are laws in place to stop this kind of thing 
. It's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out, but I'm not holding my breath for a happy ending 
. Trump might think he's getting away with something, but we're all watching 
. And right now, it looks like the White House is trying to rewrite them on the fly 
. That's not how democracy works, folks 
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. Newsflash: you're not a supervillain, Donald. You're the President of the United States. Act like it 
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! The Trump administration is basically using a slush fund 
. They're just taking money from wherever they want, whenever they want, without Congress' approval 
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, and yet Trump's just gonna disregard it and hope no one notices 
. Is it Trump and his team making these decisions, or is Congress still calling the shots 
.
! We need to keep an eye on this and make sure our elected officials are doing their job 
.