David Reel’s recent articles about President Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) miss some important constitutional problems. None of us know exactly how the Supreme Court will rule on DOGE, but it clearly undermines the balance of power between the branches of government. The U.S. Constitution gives Congress the authority to create and fund government agencies — not the president. Letting the president restructure or close agencies without Congress’s approval takes away power from Congress and weakens the system of checks and balances that protects our democracy.
What makes this even more troubling is that Trump doesn’t need to bypass Congress. He has a majority in both the House and the Senate. If Trump wants to restructure the government, he could go through Congress and follow the constitutional process. But instead, DOGE allows him to act unilaterally, cutting Congress out of decisions that should involve all three branches of government. That’s a dangerous step toward giving too much power to the executive branch.
Making the government more efficient is important — but it must be done in a way that respects the Constitution and preserves the balance of power.
Sarah Gavian
Cambridge