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Written by Rebecca Sullivan.
On May 27, 2025, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) accused the Government Accountability Office (GAO) of acting as a cog in the “deep state resistance,” obstructing President Donald Trump’s policy objectives. In an exclusive statement to Breitbart News, Greene likened the GAO’s actions to those of “far-left” judges who have impeded Trump’s deportation initiatives, framing the agency as a barrier to the will of 77 million voters who supported Trump in the 2024 election. This controversy, amplified by Republican senators and administration officials, centers on the GAO’s recent guidance that complicates efforts to repeal California’s emissions standards waiver, highlighting tensions over federal oversight and congressional authority. The episode raises broader questions about the role of quasi-independent agencies in shaping national policy.
GAO’s Role in the Emissions Waiver Dispute
The immediate catalyst for Greene’s criticism was the GAO’s guidance on a Senate Republican effort to revoke a waiver allowing California to set its own vehicle emissions standards, a policy rooted in the Clean Air Act. The GAO determined that repealing this waiver would require a supermajority vote in the Senate, rather than a simple majority under the Congressional Review Act, effectively stalling the resolution. This decision frustrated Republicans in both the House and Senate, who viewed it as an overreach by an agency meant to provide impartial oversight.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) dismissed the GAO’s authority outright, stating, “The GAO has no authority.” Similarly, Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, in a post on X, accused the GAO of partisan bias, referencing its role in Trump’s first-term impeachment proceedings. Vought argued that the agency’s tendency to label administrative actions as “impoundments”—violations of Congress’s budgetary authority—is a deliberate tactic to hinder Republican efforts to manage taxpayer funds efficiently. The GAO’s stance on the emissions waiver, combined with its ongoing 39 inquiries into alleged White House violations of congressional spending rules, has fueled perceptions of overreach among Trump allies.
For context, the GAO, established in 1921, serves as a nonpartisan arm of Congress, tasked with auditing federal programs and ensuring fiscal accountability. Its reports often influence legislative and public debates, such as its 2020 findings on improper payments in Medicare, which totaled $43 billion annually. However, its quasi-independent status, overseen by the Comptroller General, has drawn scrutiny from Republicans who question its neutrality, particularly when its rulings challenge conservative priorities.
Greene’s Deep State Narrative and GOP Frustrations
Greene’s characterization of the GAO as part of a “deep state resistance” reflects a broader Republican narrative that unelected bureaucrats undermine Trump’s mandate. She argued that the agency’s actions mirror judicial efforts to block “legal deportations,” a reference to recent court rulings that have paused Trump’s immigration enforcement plans, such as the 2025 executive order expanding deportation priorities. Greene’s rhetoric resonates with conservative voters who view federal institutions as entrenched obstacles to populist reforms, a sentiment echoed by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), who declared that the GAO “has lost credibility as an independent body.”
The “deep state” concept, popularized during Trump’s first term, refers to a perceived network of career officials and agencies that resist elected leaders’ agendas. In the GAO’s case, critics like Greene point to its involvement in high-profile controversies, such as its 2019 report concluding that Trump’s withholding of Ukraine aid violated budget laws, which fueled his first impeachment. More recently, the GAO’s scrutiny of Trump’s 2025 budget proposals, including potential impoundments of funds for programs like foreign aid, has intensified GOP distrust. These inquiries, which examine whether the administration is bypassing Congress’s “power of the purse,” underscore the GAO’s role in checking executive actions—an authority Republicans argue it wields selectively.
Greene’s position as chair of the House Oversight DOGE Subcommittee, aligned with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), amplifies her influence in this debate. DOGE, led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, aims to streamline federal operations, but its lack of jurisdiction over the GAO, a legislative branch agency, limits its direct impact. Nonetheless, Greene has vowed to pursue oversight, potentially pressuring Congress to reform the GAO’s structure or leadership. She described the agency’s actions as “illegal” and accused it of enabling a broader agenda that “destroyed America” under the Biden administration, a claim that underscores her populist appeal but risks oversimplifying complex institutional dynamics.
Challenges to GAO Reform and Oversight
Reforming the GAO presents significant hurdles, as its legislative status shields it from executive control. Unlike the Librarian of Congress, whom Trump removed in May 2025, the GAO’s Comptroller General, Gene Dodaro, can only be ousted through impeachment or a joint congressional resolution—a high bar requiring bipartisan support. While Trump could publicly call for Dodaro’s removal, as he did with a federal judge in 2025, such a move would likely spark a contentious debate on Capitol Hill, testing Republican unity. Politico noted that any push to overhaul the GAO would require Congress to initiate structural changes, such as revising its funding or mandate, a process that could take years.
The GAO’s resilience is rooted in its long-standing role as a watchdog, with over 3,000 employees and a $700 million annual budget as of 2024. Its reports, such as a 2023 analysis exposing $247 billion in fraudulent COVID-19 relief payments, demonstrate its value in uncovering waste. However, its perceived partisanship—whether justified or not—has eroded trust among some lawmakers. For example, a 2022 GAO study criticizing Trump’s border wall funding sparked accusations of bias, though the agency defended its methodology as consistent with decades of precedent.
For everyday Americans, the GAO’s actions may seem abstract, but its rulings can affect policy outcomes. The emissions waiver dispute, for instance, impacts California’s ability to enforce stricter environmental standards, which could raise costs for consumers or alter energy markets. Similarly, GAO inquiries into budget impoundments could delay Trump’s plans to redirect funds toward priorities like border security or tax cuts, affecting millions of taxpayers. Greene’s call for scrutiny resonates with constituents frustrated by bureaucratic gridlock, but it also risks politicizing an agency designed to operate above partisan fray.
Republicans face a delicate balance: reforming the GAO without undermining its oversight functions. Proposals to limit its scope, such as restricting its ability to investigate impoundments, could weaken Congress’s authority over federal spending, a concern for fiscal conservatives like Lee. Alternatively, increasing transparency in GAO decision-making, such as requiring public justification for rulings like the emissions waiver guidance, could restore credibility without structural upheaval.
Our Take
The controversy surrounding the GAO’s role in blocking Republican efforts to repeal California’s emissions waiver highlights a deeper tension between congressional oversight and executive ambition. Representative Greene’s accusation of a “deep state resistance” captures legitimate frustrations with bureaucratic obstacles to Trump’s agenda, but her rhetoric oversimplifies the GAO’s complex role as a legislative watchdog. The agency’s guidance, while inconvenient for Republicans, aligns with its mandate to uphold congressional authority, as seen in its emissions ruling and impoundment inquiries. However, its perceived partisanship, rooted in past controversies, warrants scrutiny to ensure impartiality. Congress should pursue measured reforms—such as enhancing GAO transparency—without dismantling its oversight functions, which remain critical to safeguarding taxpayer dollars. This episode underscores the need for dialogue over division to align federal agencies with the public’s mandate.
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