WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025Democratic lawmakers didn’t have much to smile about during US President Donald Trump’s divisive speech before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, but one moment caused them to laugh openly. “The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over,” Trump said, referring to his efforts to dismantle large portions of the federal government. Critics were quick to point to the obvious irony: Trump placed Elon Musk, who was not elected, in charge of that effort. Musk and his DOGE team have in effect become a shadow bureaucracy, making decisions impacting millions of federal workers, and billions in federal dollars that had been allocated by elected officials in Congress.Listen to the reaction: Laughter breaks out after Trump says: The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.— Acyn (@acyn.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:56:46.576ZAlong with laughter, Trump’s speech had other forms of disruption. Representative Al Green (Democrat Texas) was kicked out of the event for challenging him on Medicaid. Others engaged in more of a silent protest, such as turning their backs on Trump and walking out, or holding up signs saying things such as “false” and “This is NOT normal.” But the claim about “unelected bureaucrats” may have led to one of the biggest reactions of the night from Trump’s critics both in the chamber and online: Trump: “The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.”What about unelected billionaire shadow president, Elon Musk?— Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (@jayapal.house.gov)2025-03-05T02:56:42.310ZTrump said, “The days of being ruled by unelected bureaucrats is over.”Meanwhile, shadow president and unelected billionaire Elon Musk watches from above, making sure Trump sticks to the script.— Rep. Brendan Boyle (@congressmanboyle.bsky.social)2025-03-05T03:33:31.381ZI agree with Donald Trump that an unelected bureaucrat should be fired. Let’s start with Elon Musk.— Elizabeth Warren (@warren.senate.gov)2025-03-05T03:11:54.122ZTrump bemoaning “unelected bureaucrats” is laughable when he has Elon Musk pulling his strings. #JointAddress— Congressman Bill Foster (@repbillfoster.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:55:12.298ZBREAKING: irony dead.— The Lincoln Project (@lincolnproject.us)2025-03-05T03:13:50.495ZSays the days of rule by unelected bureaucrats is over… Meanwhile… Elon.. nevermind— Harry Dunn (@libradunn1.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:54:30.508ZWith no irony whatsoever, Trump says the “days of rule by unelected bureaucrats is over.”— Anne S Kim (@anne-s-kim.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:56:12.797ZTrump announces the days of rule by “Unelected bureaucrats are over” with Elon musk standing right there, again what can u do but laugh— Asawin Suebsaeng (@swin24.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:54:28.621ZSomeone tell Elon he’s fired.— SoDamnOverIt (@sodamnoverit.bsky.social)2025-03-05T03:11:30.305Z”The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.” – Trump’s lie of the night, right after he crowned Elon Musk the head of DOGE despite his administration lying to courts about his role.The biggest lie ever.#JointAddress— Grant Stern (@grantstern.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:56:50.749ZDoes he know ELON was NOT elected?— Laura CC (@laura-cc.bsky.social)2025-03-05T03:17:31.272Z“The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.”Uh….— David Corn (@davidcorn.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:54:49.096ZThe orange felon just declared the days of unelected bureaucrats dead minutes after Republicans gave Elon Musk two standings ovations.Irony and self-awareness are dead.#SOTU— Mae B Someday Soon (@mspoint1106.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:58:41.318Z”The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over,” Trump says, as Elon looks on from the gallery.— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:55:13.279Z”The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.”— Ken Vogel (@kenvogel.bsky.social)2025-03-05T03:00:54.134ZAnd the days of rule by unelected oligarchs have begun!— Trampoline Academy (@trampschool.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:58:04.682ZLOL HES IN THE ROOM TRUMP HES RIGHT OVER THERE— kmart 🍉 (@xkmart.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:57:22.899ZElon fucking musk anyone?— Paige (@paigeypaige.bsky.social)2025-03-05T03:12:32.978ZWait… lol…. what’s Elon then?— (@eisforestefano.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:57:14.459ZLots of people here implying Musk is an unelected bureaucrat. Stop insulting bureaucrats. He’s an unelected kleptocrat.— Bob Kopp (@bobkopp.net)2025-03-05T03:19:51.361ZRelated…Trump Delivers A Litany Of Lies, Petty Grievances, In Gloating Speech To Congress’Time To Make Things Right’: Zelenskyy Praises Trump’s ‘Strong Leadership’ As He Sets Out Peace PlanJD Vance Names Exact Moment Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting Went ‘Off The Rails’ Politics, Donald Trump, elon musk, donald-trump, elon-musk HuffPost UK – Athena2 – All Entries (Public)
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 04: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses a joint session of Congress at the U.S. Capitol on March 04, 2025Democratic lawmakers didn’t have much to smile about during US President Donald Trump’s divisive speech before a joint session of Congress on Tuesday, but one moment caused them to laugh openly.
“The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over,” Trump said, referring to his efforts to dismantle large portions of the federal government.
Critics were quick to point to the obvious irony: Trump placed Elon Musk, who was not elected, in charge of that effort.
Musk and his DOGE team have in effect become a shadow bureaucracy, making decisions impacting millions of federal workers, and billions in federal dollars that had been allocated by elected officials in Congress.
Listen to the reaction:
Laughter breaks out after Trump says: The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.
Along with laughter, Trump’s speech had other forms of disruption. Representative Al Green (Democrat Texas) was kicked out of the event for challenging him on Medicaid. Others engaged in more of a silent protest, such as turning their backs on Trump and walking out, or holding up signs saying things such as “false” and “This is NOT normal.”
But the claim about “unelected bureaucrats” may have led to one of the biggest reactions of the night from Trump’s critics both in the chamber and online:
Trump: “The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.”What about unelected billionaire shadow president, Elon Musk?
— Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal (@jayapal.house.gov)2025-03-05T02:56:42.310Z
Trump said, “The days of being ruled by unelected bureaucrats is over.”Meanwhile, shadow president and unelected billionaire Elon Musk watches from above, making sure Trump sticks to the script.
— Rep. Brendan Boyle (@congressmanboyle.bsky.social)2025-03-05T03:33:31.381Z
I agree with Donald Trump that an unelected bureaucrat should be fired. Let’s start with Elon Musk.
— Elizabeth Warren (@warren.senate.gov)2025-03-05T03:11:54.122Z
Trump bemoaning “unelected bureaucrats” is laughable when he has Elon Musk pulling his strings. #JointAddress
— Congressman Bill Foster (@repbillfoster.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:55:12.298Z
BREAKING: irony dead.
— The Lincoln Project (@lincolnproject.us)2025-03-05T03:13:50.495Z
Says the days of rule by unelected bureaucrats is over… Meanwhile… Elon.. nevermind
— Harry Dunn (@libradunn1.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:54:30.508Z
With no irony whatsoever, Trump says the “days of rule by unelected bureaucrats is over.”
— Anne S Kim (@anne-s-kim.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:56:12.797Z
Trump announces the days of rule by “Unelected bureaucrats are over” with Elon musk standing right there, again what can u do but laugh
— Asawin Suebsaeng (@swin24.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:54:28.621Z
Someone tell Elon he’s fired.
— SoDamnOverIt (@sodamnoverit.bsky.social)2025-03-05T03:11:30.305Z
“The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.” – Trump’s lie of the night, right after he crowned Elon Musk the head of DOGE despite his administration lying to courts about his role.The biggest lie ever.#JointAddress
— Grant Stern (@grantstern.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:56:50.749Z
Does he know ELON was NOT elected?
“The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.”Uh….
— David Corn (@davidcorn.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:54:49.096Z
The orange felon just declared the days of unelected bureaucrats dead minutes after Republicans gave Elon Musk two standings ovations.Irony and self-awareness are dead.#SOTU
— Mae B Someday Soon (@mspoint1106.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:58:41.318Z
“The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over,” Trump says, as Elon looks on from the gallery.
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:55:13.279Z
“The days of rule by unelected bureaucrats are over.”
And the days of rule by unelected oligarchs have begun!
— Trampoline Academy (@trampschool.bsky.social)2025-03-05T02:58:04.682Z
LOL HES IN THE ROOM TRUMP HES RIGHT OVER THERE
Elon fucking musk anyone?
Wait… lol…. what’s Elon then?
Lots of people here implying Musk is an unelected bureaucrat. Stop insulting bureaucrats. He’s an unelected kleptocrat.
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