Trump 2. Election period live updates: Trump instructs ‘wiping out’ Iran over threats

The house’s speaker Mike Johnson texted Elon Musk in the last hour and encouraged him to continue his work with DOGE and tell him to “continue the effort because it is really important for us to recover fiscal health.”

When asked if he is doing well with Elon Musk’s role and access to federal agencies, Johnson emphasized the “very important service to the people” as Musk does and that he “urges him to continue to dig.”

Johnson also said “It’s not that simple” when asked if Trump has the authority to close state agencies without congress, adding that it “all depends on the details.”

“If they are executive branch agencies, the executive is responsible for them. Congress is funding them. But there are important you know, questions that need to be asked about all parameters for it. So I don’t have everyone – don’t have everyone – have it The whole – – that’s not an easy answer, ā€¯Johnson said.

As for USAID, Johnson said, “There has been a lot of assault in this agency” and said there will be “an appropriate act”, though he added that they “haven’t sorted exactly what’s happening to it” And he will not say whether the executive order to dismantle USAID violates the Constitution.

– ABC News’ Arthur Jones II and Lauren Peller