Consequences of Doge

Floor Speech

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Ms. STANSBURY. Mr. Speaker, I thank Mr. Min for convening this Special Order hour. As we are getting set up, I know that we have a poster that we want to get up here, so let me just start out.

Mr. Speaker, breakups are hard. They are really, really hard, and you know they are especially hard when they play out in the public eye. I think anyone who is online right now and watching the very public breakup of Donald Trump and Elon Musk would understand that.

I mean, if you have watched over the last several days, it has really been an epic breakup for the ages. In fact, I think it is fit for the ``Real Housewives'' if you have been watching what is unfolding, even just in the last several hours.

In fact, just a couple of hours ago, Elon Musk affirmed a statement about actually impeaching the President. I mean, who would have thought that we would end up here because, literally, less than a week ago, they were having a bromance in the Oval Office? It is really just incredible to think about what has happened over the last 72 hours when you think about it.

I think it is important to understand. I mean, Donald Trump is in office as the most powerful human on planet Earth as the President of the United States. Rather than thinking about balancing the budget, addressing economic free-fall, trying to figure out what to do with our foreign adversaries, how to help the American people, engaging in the debate on how to save healthcare for millions of Americans, or making sure our children are fed in the United States and across the world, he has instead been so embroiled in the breakup of his bromance with Elon Musk that they have been going hard at each other all day long.

I wanted to take this opportunity, while we have it, honestly, to share the tea with all of you because I think, I mean, we all kind of knew this was coming, right? I mean, we have kind of seen the signs for the last few days, especially the last few weeks, but I don't think that many of us thought it would come in such a dramatic form. I want to kind of break down and put in the Congressional Record what has actually transpired over the last 72 hours.

I think many of us were shocked when we saw just a couple of days ago when, on Tuesday at 1:30, Elon Musk tweeted the following. He said: ``I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.''

I mean, really, we were quite shocked. I mean, let's be clear: All 215 Democrats have been saying this for weeks, but obviously, things really boiled over for Mr. Musk on Tuesday.

Then, just a few minutes later, he followed up with another shot at Donald Trump, where he says: ``It will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion (!!!) and burden America citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt.''

He went on in the following hours to literally accuse Republicans of making Americans debt slaves. I mean, this is actually what has been unfolding on the internet for the last several days, but this bromance is so messy. This breakup is messy as all hell, let me tell you.

Okay, you all know that Thomas Massie, who is a true fiscal conservative and is pretty much the only Republican in this Chamber who stands by his convictions and is not willing to sell out his soul for politics and power, voted against this bill because he read the CBO report and was not going to go and toe the line for the Republican Party.

He knew that Speaker Johnson was not telling the truth about deficit spending. He knew that Donald Trump in his sales pitch was not selling the truth. He knew it was going to cost $2.5 trillion, at least. We don't even know what the final cost is going to be.

This love triangle got even messier because both Thomas Massie and Senator Rand Paul got in on the mess here, so we have Thomas Massie here retweeted Elon Musk, and he said: ``He's right.'' We saw, just around that same timeframe, Senator Rand Paul also got involved.

Then, oh my gosh, well, Elon Musk--in a fit of passion, I am sure--I mean, he dialed it up even further. He said later in the day here--it looks like it was about 3:32 p.m. on X. It looks like Elon Musk was retweeting what other people were saying about his attacks on the President and this big abomination of a bill, and Elon Musk says: ``In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the American people.''

I mean, we cannot make this up. This is like the real tea that is going on, on the internet.

Elon Musk dumped almost $300 million on Donald Trump's election, and he even weighed in and was like, yo, bro, you wouldn't even be President and wouldn't have the majority if I hadn't dropped all my dollars on you.

Then, Elon Musk--actually, this was yesterday afternoon because this went on all night, right? We were all watching it unfold in real time, and even just a couple of hours ago, here on this floor, we were all glued to our phones. We were, like, oh, man, this lovers' quarrel is getting messy.

Elon Musk, around 2:50 p.m. yesterday afternoon--we were in the DOGE Subcommittee when it happened. He tweeted this. Elon Musk tweets: ``Call your Senator, Call your Congressman, Bankrupting America is NOT ok! KILL the BILL.''

You know, I appreciate it. I am a '90s kid. He also tweeted a picture of ``Kill Bill,'' a Quentin Tarantino reference. We all know where Elon is coming from.

I want to be clear: I am not a fan. I think we all know that.

We have tried to subpoena you several times to come testify in front of the Oversight Committee. You have been giving yourself billions of dollars in contracts. You have been stealing American data. You have been breaking the law with impunity.

A couple of people asked me earlier how I felt about what is going on in this lovers' quarrel. I am, like, you know what? You get mixed up with messy people, you get a messy outcome. It is very clear that that is exactly what is going on.

I think we have all been hearing the rumors here in Washington, the breakup rumors. In fact, I think many of us, even on this floor on both the Democratic and the Republican sides, have heard the rumors that Donald Trump was getting frustrated with Elon, that he wanted to be on the helicopter all the time, and that he was following him around, going to Mar-a-Lago, showing up to these Cabinet meetings, and throwing all his money around and all that stuff.

In fact, in response to all the drama, Donald Trump fired back on Truth Social: ``Elon was `wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!''

I mean, this is getting out of hand. This is really, really getting out of hand.

Then, Donald Trump--really, this is just the tip of the iceberg because what else does the leader of the free world have to do all day? I mean, he could try to end wars in the Middle East. He could try to negotiate peace deals in Europe. Oh, wait, no. Actually, he is cutting funding for NATO. Sorry, I forgot about that. In fact, he just spent his entire day attacking his aggrieved lover.

Donald Trump--let's see, this is June 5 at 2:37--on Truth Social says: ``The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon's Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn't do it!''

There is not a lot that Mr. Trump and I agree on, but I am totally with you, Mr. President. If you want to go after Elon Musk's contracts, we are here for the fight, bro. Give me a ring, like, for real. We can get this across the finish line because, I mean, obviously, I know you guys were feeling the feelings for the first 130 days, and there is always a honeymoon period, especially after you go through a big thing together like an election. I know he helped you win your election, but obviously, now the honeymoon has worn off.

Mr. Speaker, if you really want to root out waste, fraud, and abuse-- even Donald Trump is saying it. Donald Trump apparently, even this week, asked his own staff if the entire DOGE effort was bullshit.

I am not trying--I know we are on the floor of the House of Representatives. To all of the people monitoring, that is a direct quote of the President of the United States. Let me just be clear on that.

Obviously, these guys know a lot about each other. They spent a lot of time with each other over the last few months. They actually know what is going on.

The battle continued today. In response to Donald Trump's comments about Elon wearing thin, the Autism Capital account--I don't know quite what that is--says: ``Trump fires back at Elon. The online battle begins.''

Elon Musk says: ``Such an obvious lie. So sad.''

We are all sad, right? It is always sad when a relationship ends.

Mr. Speaker, I think this is when things really got heated. This is why things are really hard when there is a breakup and there is a love triangle with the GOP. That is these guys over here. There is nobody here anymore. Just in case anyone is wondering, there are no Republicans, except the acting pro tempore here.

The thing that is so crazy is we all get wrapped up in our friends and their relationships. The Republicans were like: Okay, Mr. Trump, Elon is obviously your bestie, and he spent all this money. So we will go along with it--even though apparently the Cabinet and Republicans were really unhappy about it.

They are, like, okay, fine.

Then we are going scorched Earth here now. It was actually really interesting to me earlier on the House floor. How are Republicans dealing with it? Honestly, I haven't seen them cheerful in quite a few months. Clearly, something is about to happen.

Elon Musk--where are we at here on the timeframe here? This was actually shortly before I came to the floor this afternoon.

Elon Musk tweets: ``Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.''

Then he cheerfully says: ``Have a nice day, DJT!''

We all know what happens in breakups. Obviously, they got the tea on each other. This is a no-holds-barred breakup fight happening right now.

Finally, this was the mike drop of all mike drops. Just as I was walking onto the floor this afternoon, Elon Musk tweets: ``Yes.''

This was in response to some other person, who I don't know, who treated: ``President vs Elon. Who wins?''

``Trump should be impeached. . . . `'

We have all been through really hard breakups. I don't know if anyone remembers. Mr. Speaker, 140 days ago or so, it was a lovefest. They were here in the Capitol. It was so good.

Elon Musk's words were: Yo, President, I am going to save the government from debt slavery and the deficit.

These bros were on the helicopter every day. They were going to down Mar-a-Lago.

Elon Musk is now calling for the fricking impeachment of Donald Trump. That is some serious, serious business.

What does this all mean in reality? It is happening in real time. I haven't even checked my phone since I started this conversation. There might be more drama going down just since we started this very conversation on the floor.

The reality of the situation is they both got what they paid for. Mr. Musk spent almost $300 million in dark money to pay for his friend, Mr. Trump, to become the President and to win this Republican majority who is trying to send our country into the largest deficit spend in American history.

As for Mr. Trump, this is what happens when he sells his soul. We see what happens.

I have a lot of love in my heart for people who are going through hard times. I know that both of them are having a hard time. For the sake of democracy, for the sake of the American people, and, frankly, for the global security and safety of people all over the planet, I just have to say Mr. Trump and Mr. Musk need to cut this drama out. We need to take care of our people.

I am with Musk on this one. Mr. President, I don't mean to take sides. I am going to say it. Kill the bill.

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