Trump vs. the Swamp: Can He Drain Federal Waste or Will the Courts Stop Him?

President Trump’s latest executive order, signed March 14, 2024, isn’t just a policy shift; it’s a sledgehammer to the bloated carcass of federal bureaucracy. Executive Order No. 14238 demands agencies like the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), and the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) strip down to their bare statutory bones. No more fluff, no more waste, just the essentials Congress actually mandated. For too long, these outfits have gorged on taxpayer dollars, delivering cushy jobs and feel-good programs while hardworking Americans foot the bill. Trump’s move forces a question: why are we funding agencies that stray so far from their original purpose?

Cue the outrage from 21 state attorneys general, led by California’s Rob Bonta, who’ve slapped the administration with yet another lawsuit - their 12th against Trump. They’re crying foul, claiming this “Closure Order” tramples the Constitution and threatens “essential services.” But let’s cut through the noise. These are the same folks who’ve cheered when federal overreach suited their agendas. Now that the ax falls on their pet projects, they’re clutching pearls and running to the courts. The hypocrisy stinks worse than a Sacramento summer.

Take the IMLS, a darling of the lawsuit brigade. In 2024, it doled out $180 million through its Grants to States Program, propping up libraries and museums nationwide. California alone pocketed $15.7 million to keep 17,000 library staff employed and 1,127 libraries humming. Sounds noble, right? Until you dig deeper. Decades of federal cash, dating back to the Library Services Act of 1956, have turned libraries into sprawling social hubs, far beyond their core mission of lending books. Tutors, eBooks, summer feeding programs - all nice, but not essential. Trump’s order rightly demands a return to basics, slashing staff and grants that ballooned under unchecked spending.

Then there’s the MBDA, which claims to have fueled 19,000 jobs in 2023 by advising 2,000 entrepreneurs. Impressive, until you note it’s now down to five staff from over 40, with most on leave. The FMCS, once 200 strong, now limps along with 15 mediators, abandoning labor dispute resolutions that kept commerce flowing since 1947. Critics wail about lost jobs and services, but here’s the rub: if these agencies were so vital, why did they need so much fat to function? Trump’s not killing them; he’s forcing them to prove their worth.

Bonta and his coalition argue the order violates the Appropriations Clause and Separation of Powers, since Congress, not the president, controls the purse strings. They’ve got a point; the Constitution’s clear that funding decisions rest with lawmakers. Historical precedent backs them up too - think Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer in 1952, when the Supreme Court slapped down Truman for seizing steel mills without congressional nod. But Trump’s not seizing anything. He’s telling agencies to stick to what Congress actually required, not the extras they’ve tacked on. The Impoundment Control Act of 1974 gives him wiggle room to delay spending, and he’s using it to gut inefficiency, not defy law.

Contrast this with the state AGs’ track record. When Obama’s DAPA order tried to rewrite immigration law in 2014, these same offices cheered until courts struck it down. Now they’re flipping the script, painting Trump as a tyrant for trimming fat they once decried. Their lawsuit reeks of selective outrage - defend federal power when it’s your team, attack it when it’s not. Meanwhile, rural libraries lose Wi-Fi and minority businesses lose consultants. Tough, but maybe it’s time states step up instead of leaning on Uncle Sam’s overstretched wallet.

Trump’s order isn’t perfect. Slashing FMCS mediators risks labor strikes, and gutting IMLS grants could shutter rural libraries that double as lifelines for internet access. Real people - librarians, business owners, workers - feel the pinch. But the bigger picture demands focus. Federal agencies have morphed into sprawling empires, drifting from their mandates while taxpayers bleed. The MBDA’s 70 business centers sound great until you ask how many duplicate state efforts. The FMCS’s 80-year legacy matters less if it’s a shadow of its efficient past. This isn’t about destruction; it’s about discipline.

The state AGs’ lawsuit might slow Trump down, but it won’t erase the truth he’s exposed. For every sob story about a library card holder losing eBooks, there’s a taxpayer tired of funding excess. Judicial review will settle the legal dust - Marbury v. Madison set that stage in 1803 - but the public’s verdict is brewing. Americans want results, not handouts. Trump’s betting on that, and he’s right to push the fight.