Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, joined ‘America’s Newsroom’ to discuss alleged ‘waste and abuse’ at USAID and Democrats’ criticism of Elon Musk’s role in reducing government spending.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said Tuesday that the shutdown of the USAID agency by Elon Musk’s DOGE team is a welcome “disruption” to the system in Washington D.C., and warned Democrats should “get used to this.”
‘VIPER’S NEST’: USAID ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION, MISMANAGEMENT LONG BEFORE TRUMP ADMIN TOOK AIM
SEN. JONI ERNST: The Democrats need to get used to this. We are going to find ways to focus our American taxpayer dollars on the things that they should be spent on, which is the American people and our interests. Again, we don’t need to be wasting money on ridiculous items like saying how fast shrimp can run on treadmills. I don’t care about that. The American people, they don’t care about that. So get ready for disruption. Get used to disruption. Let’s get our federal government back on track and doing what we should be doing and not focusing on items of ridiculous ideology.
Musk hit back Tuesday at Democrats’ “hysterical” reactions to his and Trump’s efforts to slash government waste and bureaucracy.
“Hysterical reactions like this is how you know that @DOGE is doing work that really matters,” he wrote in response to Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
“This is the one shot the American people have to defeat BUREAUcracy, rule of the bureaucrats, and restore DEMOcracy, rule of the people. We’re never going to get another chance like this. It’s now or never. Your support is crucial to the success of the revolution of the people,” he asserted.
Schumer accused Musk of setting up an “unelected shadow government” that is “conducting a hostile takeover,” while other Democrats warned that DOGE was staging a “coup.”
“DOGE is not a real government agency. DOGE has no authority to make spending decisions. DOGE has no authority to shut programs down or to ignore federal law. DOGE’s conduct cannot be allowed to stand. Congress must take action to restore the rule of law,” Schumer’s post continued.
Ernst, the Senate DOGE Caucus chair, said USAID has shown “blatant disregard” for how Americans want taxpayer dollars allocated.
“Elon Musk is spearheading the Department of Government Efficiency. And if it means ferreting out waste and fraud on behalf of Americans, then I think he is doing a great job. He is operating at the direction of the president,” she said.
“There are important [USAID] projects, we acknowledge that, but we have to disrupt the system, ferret out the waste and get back to what we should be doing. And that’s making sure that American interests are represented and supporting our allies and partners.”
