Asha Rangappa

Yeah. I mean, but that's the remedy, Ezra. You know, if Trump defies the court, the court has no independent enforcement mechanism.

Yeah. I mean, but that's the remedy, Ezra. You know, if Trump defies the court, the court has no independent enforcement mechanism.

We're in like, let's wear sweatpants and stare at the ceiling territory now.

We're in like, let's wear sweatpants and stare at the ceiling territory now.

And I think I'm glad that you mentioned the appropriations authority because one thing that remains very unclear in this is where the money is coming from to transport these prisoners. What was that money originally appropriated for? What are the terms of this agreement, by the way? Under the law, there's something called the Case Zablocki Act.

And I think I'm glad that you mentioned the appropriations authority because one thing that remains very unclear in this is where the money is coming from to transport these prisoners. What was that money originally appropriated for? What are the terms of this agreement, by the way? Under the law, there's something called the Case Zablocki Act.

which requires the executive branch, the Secretary of State, to actually notify Congress of executive agreements that it reaches with foreign nations. So this is something that technically they need to disclose. They're supposed to actually publish it on the Department of State website. But to your point about withholding funds, you know, to go back again to 9-11,

which requires the executive branch, the Secretary of State, to actually notify Congress of executive agreements that it reaches with foreign nations. So this is something that technically they need to disclose. They're supposed to actually publish it on the Department of State website. But to your point about withholding funds, you know, to go back again to 9-11,

Congress actually prohibited the use of funds to transfer detainees from Guantanamo to the United States to be tried in criminal courts. So they were just stuck there. So it seems very clear to me that if Congress wanted to, they could prohibit the use of funds to send people to El Salvador.

Congress actually prohibited the use of funds to transfer detainees from Guantanamo to the United States to be tried in criminal courts. So they were just stuck there. So it seems very clear to me that if Congress wanted to, they could prohibit the use of funds to send people to El Salvador.

Yes, absolutely. And I think in a bigger sense, it's reimagining the kind of person we imagine to be in the Oval Office. So you think about like after Watergate, there were all these reforms that were done because all of a sudden we had to reimagine what do you do if you have a president who's going to push all these boundaries? And so we get the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.

Yes, absolutely. And I think in a bigger sense, it's reimagining the kind of person we imagine to be in the Oval Office. So you think about like after Watergate, there were all these reforms that were done because all of a sudden we had to reimagine what do you do if you have a president who's going to push all these boundaries? And so we get the Ethics in Government Act of 1978.

We get the Independent Council Statute. We get Republicans. restrictions on how tax information can be used by the president, because all of a sudden we had all these examples. I think, frankly, we've known this for a while. These things should have been done. That pendulum should have swung already. But that's, I think, the kind of reckoning that is going to have to happen.

We get the Independent Council Statute. We get Republicans. restrictions on how tax information can be used by the president, because all of a sudden we had all these examples. I think, frankly, we've known this for a while. These things should have been done. That pendulum should have swung already. But that's, I think, the kind of reckoning that is going to have to happen.

In terms of you can't grant this much authority to the executive branch. And it's tough because you also don't want to tie the president's hands. The reason that all these authorities are delegated, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that Trump is using to impose the tariffs is really there as a surgical leverage tool if the president needs it. Right.

In terms of you can't grant this much authority to the executive branch. And it's tough because you also don't want to tie the president's hands. The reason that all these authorities are delegated, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act that Trump is using to impose the tariffs is really there as a surgical leverage tool if the president needs it. Right.

We want the president to have something like that if he needs to negotiate something with a with a specific authority. foreign power, that we're facing a specific emergency. But I think we're no longer in that world, as you said. We're in a different world now. And I think Congress has to reckon with that.

We want the president to have something like that if he needs to negotiate something with a with a specific authority. foreign power, that we're facing a specific emergency. But I think we're no longer in that world, as you said. We're in a different world now. And I think Congress has to reckon with that.

And I would add to that, Ezra, that the landscape has changed, right? If you're also looking at two big assumptions that maybe existed back in Nixon and before, which is, A, that the president is not above the law, and B, that Congress would be willing to use its ultimate weapon if it has to, which is impeachment. If both of those are off the table...

And I would add to that, Ezra, that the landscape has changed, right? If you're also looking at two big assumptions that maybe existed back in Nixon and before, which is, A, that the president is not above the law, and B, that Congress would be willing to use its ultimate weapon if it has to, which is impeachment. If both of those are off the table...