Former Pence Aide Slams Congress for Handing Power to Trump and Elon Musk

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Alex Bollinger
February 13, 2025
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8 minutes read

(AP Photo)

A former top aide to Vice President Mike Pence has criticized Congress for ceding its authority to both President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk, warning that lawmakers’ failure to reclaim control could backfire under a future Democratic administration.

Marc Short, who served as a senior Trump White House official before leading Pence’s team, voiced his concerns during an interview with CNN. While he expressed little opposition to Musk’s influence over government restructuring, he argued that such decisions should be made by elected lawmakers, not unelected advisers.

“I actually don’t have as much concern about that,” Short said. “I think the reality is that most Americans view Elon Musk as a successful businessman, and basically streamlining government is a good thing. Again, I think it’s good for him to make recommendations of where we should be cutting, but ultimately Congress has the power of the purse, and Congress is the one that needs to zero out these programs.”

Short acknowledged that the Trump administration’s efforts to highlight government waste made a strong case for budget cuts. “I think in many cases the Trump administration is showcasing why they’re misallocating of dollars, and I think that builds a case for it,” he added.

However, he warned Republican lawmakers that their willingness to let Trump and Musk dictate government spending could set a dangerous precedent. If they allowed unilateral changes now, a future Democratic president could use the same approach to dismantle conservative programs.

“But again, if you take the next step and say that you can unilaterally do this, then you’ve got to live with the consequences,” Short cautioned. “When a Democratic president unilaterally gets rid of Republican programs or conservative programs that we like, like border patrol …” Short also criticized Republicans for abandoning traditional commitments to the rule of law, particularly when it came to judicial decisions.

“I mean, I think that in many cases, conservatives and Republicans have gone along with abandoning the rule of law and order, and I think that that is a concern,” he said. “And so certainly we should be respecting the decisions of judges. I think, frankly, as President Trump said yesterday, you know, we can always appeal, but I don’t think that means you can unilaterally decide which cases or decisions you accept or reject.”

His remarks highlight growing internal tensions within the Republican Party, as some members struggle with the increasing influence of Trump and Musk over government policy. With Congress appearing to take a backseat, concerns over the separation of powers continue to grow.