Mike Johnson says there’s a ‘gross overreaction’ over Elon Musk’s efforts to cut government spending: ‘Not a power grab’

House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana defended the work of Elon Musk in probing government spending.

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House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday defended efforts by Elon Musk to cut government spending.Johnson said Republicans would “vigorously defend” Congress’ role in government.He said the effort by Musk’s DOGE to probe spending was a “long overdue” development.

House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday defended the role of Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk in scrutinizing government spending, arguing that the executive branch is acting “within the scope of their authority.”

During a press briefing at the Capitol, Johnson was asked about prior GOP complaints regarding “unelected bureaucrats” exerting influence within the federal government.

“There’s a reason the founding fathers put the Congress, the legislative branch, as the first article in the Constitution and we’re going to vigorously defend that,” he said. “But what’s happening right now is a gross overreaction in the media to what is happening. The executive branch of government in our system has the right to evaluate how executive branch agencies are operating. … It’s not a power grab.”

DOGE was created through executive order by President Donald Trump last month and it operates out of the White House, to the dismay of Democratic critics who have warned against Musk’s increased influence in federal government.

Johnson during the House GOP press conference then said the “stewardship of precious American taxpayer dollars” was being handled well.

“That’s what they’re doing — by putting a pause on some of these agencies and by evaluating them, by doing these internal audits,” he said. “That is a long overdue, much welcome development.”

“We don’t see this as a threat to Article I at all. We see this as an active, engaged, committed executive branch authority doing what the executive branch should do,” he added.

Congressional Democrats on Tuesday held a rally outside the Department of Treasury building in Washington where they vigorously pushed back against Musk’s efforts to overhaul major departments like the Department of Education — as well as his efforts to dismantle the USAID.