Senator Bernie Sanders isn’t holding back when it comes to criticizing what he sees as a billionaire takeover of American democracy under Trump’s second term. And his main target? None other than Elon Musk.
Sanders argues that Musk who now wields serious influence over Trump’s DOGE Agency isn’t looking out for the country but for himself and his billionaire buddies. He believes that Trump’s wealthy inner circle isn’t about “making America great again” but about making themselves even richer while leaving everyday Americans behind.
Trump has been on a record-breaking spree with executive orders 100 in just 65 days, way more than his first term. According to ex-Trump advisor Steve Bannon, this is all part of the plan to “flood the zone” and shake things up. The approach aligns with the Silicon Valley mindset Musk is famous for: “Move fast and break things.” But Sanders argues that instead of streamlining government, Trump and Musk are just breaking society itself gutting agencies, firing federal employees left and right, and getting rid of watchdogs that keep the government in check.
The latest battle? Trump’s executive order targeting federal employee unions, which Sanders calls “blatantly illegal.” He says this move is just another attack in the Trump-Musk “war on workers” and a clear attempt to strip unions of their power.
Of course, whether the order is actually unconstitutional is up to the courts to decide. But here’s where things get even messier: Trump’s DOJ has been accused of “judge shopping” basically, strategically filing cases where they’re likely to get a favorable ruling.
Georgetown Law Professor and Supreme Court lawyer Steve Vladeck points out that, while it’s not unusual for lawsuits against executive actions to be filed in certain districts, Trump’s administration is taking things to another level. In the case defending his anti-union order, they filed the lawsuit in Waco, Texas, where they had a 100% chance of getting a Trump-appointed judge.
Sanders and his allies see this as yet another example of Trump trying to rig the system not just against workers, but against the courts themselves. Meanwhile, Trump’s team continues to accuse Democrats of judge shopping, even though, according to Vladeck, the only clear-cut case of it happening right now is from Trump’s own Justice Department.
It’s a high-stakes legal showdown, and with Trump’s executive orders piling up, the fight over how far his power can reach is only just beginning.
Sanders Calls Out Trump’s ‘Blatantly Illegal’ Move Says DOJ Rigged the System
