Trump threw his own Education Secretary Betsy DeVos under the bus as he falsely claimed that he has funded Special Olympics.
Trump said, “The Special Olympics will be funded. I just told my people, I wanna fund the Special Olympics, and I just authorized a funding of the Special Olympics. I’ve been to the Special Olympics, I think it’s incredible and I just authorized a funding. I heard about it this morning. I have overridden my people. We’re funding the Special Olympics.”
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Presidents don't authorize funding. Keep this fact in mind as you watch Trump claim that he has authorized funding for the Special Olympics. pic.twitter.com/mEXoIk9KQM
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— PoliticusUSA (@politicususa) March 28, 2019
Presidents Don’t Have The Power To Authorize Funds
Trump claimed that he did something that he does not have the power to do. Presidents do not authorize or set funding for programs. That power belongs to Congress. This is why the presidential budget is viewed as an advisory document, not a real budget that has any chance of becoming law. Trump was trying to spin away bad news for his administration, so he granted himself the imaginary power to decree that the Special Olympics have been funded.
Members of Congress in both parties have made it clear that Special Olympics will be funded, but none of the credit goes to Trump. Donald Trump has nothing to do with it. The president is continuing his con of dodging responsibility for what his administration does while making promises that he has no power to deliver on.
Trump can’t declare the Special Olympics funded, just like he can’t wipe away the stain of his administration trying to eliminate Special Olympics funding for three straight years.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
