1. United States
2. Iowa
3. Letter

Trump's request for retroactive congressional approval of DOGE's illegal funding cuts is an outrageous overstep that must be rejected outright. DOGE's unilateral withholding of congressionally appropriated funds violated the Impoundment Control Act and the Constitution's Appropriations Clause. Granting after-the-fact approval would not only condone this egregious abuse of power, but set a dangerous precedent emboldening this regime to further defy the legislative branch's exclusive authority over federal spending; they have already promised to send more approval requests if these are passed. The very nature of this request is an affront to the separation of powers and system of checks and balances fundamental to American democracy. Failure to rebuke this unconstitutional action would represent a dereliction of Congress's sworn duty to uphold the rule of law. Categorically deny this request and reassert the legislative branch's constitutional prerogatives over the power of the purse.