‘This is a constitutional crisis’: Democrats blow up musk and Trump over USAID

A fiery group of about a dozen congress Democrats blasted Elon Musk and President Donald Trump on Monday afternoon outside USAid’s headquarters in the midst of their attempts to close the overseas funding agency and claim that the rapid events cause chaos and harm national security.

The Democrats called the acts against USAID “illegal” and a “constitutional crisis” while promising to take their defense of the agency to the courts.

“What Trump and Musk have done is not just wrong, it’s illegal,” Rep said. Don Beyer from Virginia during a news conference outside USAID headquarters. “USAD was established by a congress and it can only be dissolved by a law by Congress. To stop this will require action from the courts and for Republicans to show up and show courage and stand up for our country. “

Beyer, together with co -representatives Gerry Connolly, Eugene Vindman and Suhas Subramanyam from Virginia; Jamie Raskin, Johnny Olszewski and Sarah Elfreth from Maryland; and Ilhan Omar from Minnesota, Jim McGovern of Massachusetts and Yassamin Ansari from Arizona.

Sens. Chris Van Hollen from Maryland, Brian Schatz from Hawaii and Chris Murphy from Connecticut also spoke.

Schatz, sitting on the Committee on Foreign Relations, said earlier Monday that he is places a “blanket team” Trump’s nominees for the Ministry of State in the middle of the USAID development. Van Hollen said he would commit to doing the same.

“Senator Schatz and I have talked we are all in this together,” he said.

The group of Democrats was flanked on Monday by approx. 100 federal workers and other advocates of US agencies, including a number of USAID and contractors.

Democratic legislators claimed on Monday that USA’s work is crucial to terrorism, disease prevention and provides humanitarian aid globally.

“We are here today, not just to fight for federal employees who dedicate themselves to a humanitarian task every day. We are here to save lives, because that’s what USAID does, “said Connolly, the ranking Democrat of the Supervisory Committee.” You name what USAD is there in the fight against HIV, in the fight to protect Uyhur people in China, in the fight to protect refugees, in the fight to ensure that there is food security everywhere … It is the leading development agency in The world, and no one chose Elon Musk to dismantle it. “

“We are going to fight in every way we can in the courts, in public opinion, with the bully sermon chair, in Halls of Congress and here in USAID. We will not let this injustice happen, ”Connolly added.

They also condemned musk’s actions as illegal and harmful to the nation’s interests.

“Elon Musk, you didn’t create USAID. The American Congress did for the American people … as Elon Musk did not create USAID, he does not have the power to destroy it. And who will stop him? We are, ”said Raskin.

“This is a constitutional crisis that we are II day,” he added.

McGovern also criticized Musk.

“This is a brave attempt from a billionaire that no one voted for illegally and unconstitutionally stealing from taxpayers so he can give himself a tax relief,” McGovern said.

Van Hollen highlighted the broader consequences of these actions against USAID for US foreign policy and national security.

“Make no mistake, this effort by Elon Musk and so -called DODE to close the Agency for International Development is an absolute gift to our opponents, to Russia, to China, to Iran and others because USAID is an important instrument for us foreign policy and US National security policy. So this has nothing to do with making the US government more efficient, and everything to do with helping and accommodating our opponents around the world, ”said Van Hollen.

Subramanyam, chairman of the Supervisory Committee’s Military and Foreign Affairs Sub -Committee said he would “call for hearings and we will ask for answers” regarding USAID development.

“We will demand answers to why this happens, but most importantly, we will not let it happen,” he said.