President Donald Trump’s “flood the zone” strategy — famously espoused by Steve Bannon to keep the media and voters distracted while pushing controversial moves — has morphed into something more like “expand and control” the zone as the first month of his second term draws to a close.
Though Trump has opted to sub out the famous Oval Office Resolute Desk, he has remained resolute in all other ways — especially in backing the controversial actions of his DOGE consigliere Elon Musk, as the two men radically reshape the federal government through shuttering agencies, widespread federal layoffs, and withholding funds that have been already been appropriated by Congress.
Trump’s idea of what constitutes the zone of executive branch power is larger than that of any previous Oval Office occupant, as Trump has signed more than 70 executive orders as of Feb. 20, the “most in a president’s first 100 days in more than 40 years,” according to NBC News.
Much of Trump’s power grab exceeds his constitutional authority, critics say, and dozens of lawsuits have been filed against the administration for overstepping its “legitimate” authority, as Vice President Vance described Trump’s push.
Indeed, Vance used that language to decry members of the judiciary who would curtail Trump’s power by ruling against him, with the VP asserting it was not a judge’s place to impose restraints or limits on executive branch fiat.
(NOTE: Though Trump said he would “always abide” the courts, there are reports that the administration is continuing to block funds that a federal judge ordered released in a case where it was determined Trump had exceeded his authority in freezing the funds.)
So unprecedented is the breadth of Trump’s exertion of power that it has raised the hackles of Republicans as well as Democrats. And despite the threat by Musk that he would spend $100M to primary any Republican who opposed Trump’s initiatives, some elected GOP officials have publicly expressed concerns about Trump’s moves.
Rep. Troy Balderson (R-OH) said this week that Trump’s directives were “getting out of control.” That assessment from a MAGA Republican found some Democrats hopeful in the comments — “a Republican standing up to Trump, oh my” writes one — as well as the bots and MAGA adherents who repeated Musk’s threat at Balderson, writing “primary him.”
NEW
— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) February 21, 2025
Republican Congressman Troy Balderson, who reps an R+18 district in Ohio, says President Trump’s executive orders are “getting out of control.”
“Congress has to decide whether or not the Departmnet of Education goes away. Not the president. Not Elon Musk. Congress… pic.twitter.com/kJCpjNdVCF
Another strain of feedback disdains executive power overreach in general, asserting that all recent presidents had more power than the founders intended.
Good. This is how people see how out of control executive power has gotten. That’s part of what Trump is exposing.
— Be Ready Tactical (@BeReadyTactical) February 21, 2025
In a sign reflecting the diminishing approval ratings of President Trump a month in — though the White House has been pushing polls that reflect otherwise — is the quote below, which shows a Trump voter concurring with Balderson’s notion that Trump’s presidency is stepping over the line: “Trump voter, here. I agree with him. This is out of control.”
Trump voter, here. I agree with him. This is out of control.
— Leslie (@rebos8102) February 21, 2025
Balderson, in a comment that directly challenged the presumptive authority of Musk and Trump said: “Congress has to decide whether or not the Department of Education goes away. Not the president, not Elon Musk. Congress decides.”
Realizing that even though there was agreement with him among his constituents, Balderson later tried to roll his statements into a “all-work-together” plan that still gave Congress the legislative power the founders intended, but which withdrew any notion that he was questioning the wisdom of Trump and Musk.
Instead, Balderson indicated, he had meant only to further enable Trump and Musk by offering them his help in permanently stamping their agenda into law.
The Congressman wrote: “I fully support President Trump’s agenda to rein in our bloated federal government & put Americans first. Now, it’s time for Congress to act. It’s up to us on Capitol Hill to make permanent his executive actions, ensuring continuity in public policy from one administration to the next.”
I fully support President Trump’s agenda to rein in our bloated federal government & put Americans first. Now, it’s time for Congress to act. It’s up to us on Capitol Hill to make permanent his executive actions, ensuring continuity in public policy from one administration to the…
— Congressman Troy Balderson (@RepBalderson) February 21, 2025
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