U.S. Rep. Jared Golden is joining the growing criticism of Elon Musk’s incursion into the federal government, but he’s taking a different tack than other Democrats.
In social media posts, Golden called Musk an “unelected weirdo, billionaire” who is stepping on President Donald Trump’s toes. He also suggested that the president shouldn’t “sit back” while a subordinate pursues his own agenda without his permission.
Trump told reporters this week that Musk has been dispatched to find waste in government spending.
“Elon can’t do and won’t do anything without our approval and we’ll give him the approval where appropriate, where not appropriate we won’t,” Trump said.
Still, Democrats counter that the world’s richest man, who has billions in government contracts and subsidies and business deals with foreign governments, shouldn’t be allowed to root around sensitive payment systems containing Americans’ private data without congressional oversight.
Golden’s statement did not mention those concerns, but it’s notable because the 2nd District Democrat has generally steered clear of directly criticizing Trump. He embraced the president’s now suspended tariff gambit against Mexico and Canada and declined to criticize Trump’s pardoning of the Jan. 6 rioters who attempted to overturn the certification of the 2020 election.
Musk, meanwhile, is continuing to draw criticism from other members of Maine’s congressional delegation. Republican U.S. Sen. Susan Collins reportedly said she was concerned about Musk and his team gaining sensitive information from federal agencies. Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree of the 1st District has said Musk is usurping Congress’ power over spending. And independent U.S. Sen. Angus King has challenged the legality of the Trump administration dismantling federal agencies, including USAID, the international humanitarian and development agency of the U.S. government.
Musk posted that his team was putting the 64-year-old agency created by President John F. Kennedy “in the woodchipper” and claimed without evidence that it’s a criminal organization.
This article appears through a media partnership with Maine Public.
