LETTER: Trump’s most egregious act is giving Musk so much power

To Ozaukee Press:

President Trump has signed some abysmal executive orders during his first few weeks, but his most egregious act has been to allow an unelected billionaire to exert control over government agencies.

     Elon Musk is effectively shutting down USAID, a congressionally approved program whose mission doesn’t align with Trump’s agenda. USAID operates in over 130 developing nations to combat infectious diseases and promote educational opportunities. It exerts American pro-democracy principles, as opposed to Russian and Chinese intervention.

     Musk and his team of investigators, without security clearances, were granted access by the Treasury Department to their files containing sensitive financial data on millions of taxpayers. There is a sacred covenant between citizens and the government that the private information we provide won’t be used maliciously, such as blocking a tax refund, Social Security benefits or Medicare payment because one is suspected of not supporting Trump.

     It is time for action. Americans need to resist Trump’s authoritarian order and draconian agenda. Democratic states and political advocacy groups have filed legal challenges. Citizens can stage political marches and call Republican House and Senate members to demand they hold the administration accountable for unlawful acts, and if they continue to remain silent, vote them out in the 2026 midterm election. It may be the last one we will ever have.

Greg Melcher       

Port Washington