, Columnist
Trump Can't Shut Federal Agencies. But He Can Turn Them Off.
Through personnel choices and informal directives, the White House can stop rule-making and enforcement alike.
Pencils down.
Photographer: Chaloner Woods/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Many Republicans hope, and many Democrats fear, that Donald Trump’s administration will close or shrink a variety of federal agencies and offices. Both the hope and the fear are justified -- even without a supermajority in the Senate, there’s a lot Republicans can do to restrict the actions of the executive branch.
Let’s start with what Trump can’t do: Acting on his own, could he disband an agency or department -- say, the Department of Energy? Absolutely not. He would need Congress for that, and almost certainly 60 votes (and it’s not going to get close to that). But his administration could work to cut staff, if only by refusing to fill vacancies, and it could certainly work with Congress to reduce appropriations.