Not with a Bang but a Whimper: Congressional Silence Amid an Historic Assault on the Power of the Purse

ABSTRACT Although all presidents pursue their agendas unilaterally, President Donald Trump’s early second-term actions shocked the political system for their scope and breadth. One of Trump’s boldest moves was a frontal assault on Congress’s constitutional power of the purse through unprecedented impoundments and unilateral tariffs. Despite widespread public opposition to Trump’s gambits and clear statutory violations, Congress has offered little resistance, marking a stark departure from historical precedent. This analysis situates Trump’s actions within broader debates over the scope of executive authority and the weakening of institutional checks and balances. Partisan incentives and Trump’s dominance of the Republican Party have muted congressional resistance, raising urgent questions about the future of the separation of powers in an era of unprecedented executive overreach.