Trump Reshapes Congress, Gavel Marks Shift in Capitol Power/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Donald Trump’s renewed influence in Washington has tipped the balance of power as a compliant Congress increasingly defers to his agenda. With legislative leaders pushing through his priorities and shelving their own, critics warn of a weakening legislative branch. The shift raises concerns about constitutional checks and balances amid Trump’s expanded executive authority.
Trump Expands Power Over Congress: Quick Looks
- Trump receives ceremonial gavel during July 4 bill signing
- Congress swiftly passes Trump-backed tax and spending bill
- Lawmakers delay sanctions on Russia at Trump’s request
- $9 billion in congressional funding rescinded under White House pressure
- Senators confirmed controversial Trump Cabinet picks despite concerns
- Longtime Republicans express frustration over waning legislative power
- Trump brokers deals directly with lawmakers from the Oval Office
- House Speaker Johnson closely coordinates agenda with Trump
- GOP lawmakers influenced by MAGA-era loyalty dynamics
- Judicial branch increasingly tasked with checking executive actions
Deep Look: With Gavel in Hand, Trump Commands Compliant Congress
Deep Look
WASHINGTON — On a sunny July Fourth, President Donald Trump smiled broadly as House Speaker Mike Johnson handed him a ceremonial gavel during the signing of a landmark tax and spending bill. It was meant to symbolize legislative triumph — but the imagery told a deeper story: the ongoing shift of political power from Capitol Hill to the White House.
That gavel, once wielded by Congress to assert its constitutional authority, now served as a metaphor for a legislature willing to cede its influence to a president who continues to reshape American governance on his terms.
Congress Moves in Lockstep
Since Trump’s return to office in January 2025, Republican lawmakers have moved with unprecedented speed to fulfill his legislative demands. With majorities in both the House and Senate, the GOP has delivered a $4.5 trillion tax cut package, confirmed several controversial Cabinet nominees, and shelved its own initiatives — all to align with the White House’s agenda.
Among the appointees greenlit by the Senate were figures who previously raised bipartisan concern, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as Health Secretary and Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon. Still, the GOP leadership pushed them through, reflecting Trump’s tightening grip on the legislative branch.
The House has also initiated investigations into President Joe Biden’s past use of an autopen — a move widely seen as retaliation driven by Trump’s personal grievances.
Legislative Priorities Overridden
In one of the starkest examples of Trump’s dominance, Congress recently halted progress on a bipartisan bill imposing tough new sanctions on Russia, despite strong support across party lines. The reason? Trump granted Vladimir Putin an extra 50 days to reach a peace deal in Ukraine — a delay that frustrated lawmakers but wasn’t contested.
Similarly, lawmakers agreed to rescind $9 billion in previously approved funds — including money for public broadcasting and international aid — simply because the Trump administration asked them to. This use of rescission authority had not been seriously exercised in decades, raising alarms about the erosion of Congress’s historic “power of the purse.”
GOP Senators Push Back — Barely
A few Republicans are publicly voicing concern. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) declined to support Trump’s push to strip funding from NPR and other agencies, saying:
“We’re lawmakers. We should be legislating.”
But hers is a lonely voice. Many dissenters from Trump’s first term, like Liz Cheney and Mitt Romney, are no longer in office. Others, like Sen. Thom Tillis, have felt the consequences of opposing the president. After criticizing cuts to hospital funding, Trump threatened to campaign against him, leading Tillis to announce he won’t seek re-election in 2026.
Still, a handful remain unshaken. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced a bill to force the administration to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, despite Trump’s reluctance. And Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) has voted against both the tax bill and rescission package.
“Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that if the president wants something, you must do it,” said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) on the Senate floor.
MAGA-Aligned Lawmakers Take Charge
A new generation of GOP leaders — many of whom owe their political rise to Trump — are amplifying his influence rather than counterbalancing it. Speaker Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune have embraced Trump’s strategies, often coordinating schedules and legislative messaging directly with the president.
When a key Trump priority — cryptocurrency legislation — stalled in Congress, Trump personally hosted holdouts in the Oval Office to secure votes, with Johnson calling in to help broker a deal. That kind of direct presidential involvement underscores the evolving dynamics of governance in the MAGA era.
Johnson has openly expressed his desire for a “normal Congress,” but in practice, he’s leveraged Trump’s backing to enforce party unity — even if it means subordinating legislative independence.
Courts Left to Provide Balance
With Congress often acting as an extension of the executive branch, it has fallen to the judicial system to perform constitutional checks. Courts are now processing hundreds of lawsuits challenging various executive actions, from regulatory rollbacks to emergency declarations.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi criticized the current dynamic in a recent interview:
“The Republicans in Congress have just melted the power of the speakership and Senate leadership to cater to the executive branch.”
The imbalance is drawing concern from constitutional scholars who see the erosion of separation of powers as a long-term threat to American democracy.
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