CNN host Anderson Cooper got into a heated argument with Republican Chris Sununu over Elon Musk’s government spending cleanup. The clash happened during a live TV debate about wasteful taxpayer spending. Conservatives are cheering Sununu for standing up to what they see as liberal media bias.
Musk’s team at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) found shocking examples of waste. FEMA spent $59 million on luxury hotels for illegal immigrants. USAID wasted $20 million on an Iraqi version of Sesame Street. Sununu argued these prove the need for Trump’s cost-cutting plans. Cooper snapped, “Don’t be a dick,” then later apologized.
Sununu laughed off the insult, saying it was “one of the nicest things” he’d been called all week. He praised Musk for exposing corruption everyone else ignored. The DOGE has already saved $2.3 billion daily by cutting bloated programs. Liberals downplay these wins, but conservatives call it a victory for taxpayers.
Democrats like Senator Jeanne Shaheen still defend agencies like USAID. She called Musk’s examples “made up,” even though left-wing outlets confirmed them. Tax dollars funded Moroccan pottery classes and gift bags for illegal immigrants. USAID even sent $9 million to Al Qaeda-linked groups in Syria. Shaheen still pushes to fund these programs.
Foreign aid waste isn’t the only problem. The DOGE found welfare payments sent to people listed as 150 years old. A contractor got paid for 20 years on a three-month job. Sununu said these abuses prove why Trump’s shakeup is needed. Cooper dismissed the claims, demanding “10,000 pages” of proof instead of real-world examples.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee slammed Shaheen in a new ad. It highlights her support for sending tax dollars to UNRWA, a group tied to Hamas terrorists. UNRWA workers joined Hamas’ October 7 attacks on Israel. Shaheen still wants billions more for these agencies, saying it’s “critical for national security.”
Conservatives argue this shows how out of touch Democrats are. Even Bill Clinton and Barack Obama once backed spending cuts. Today’s Democrats refuse common-sense reforms. Republicans plan to make this a key issue in the 2026 Senate race, where Shaheen could face a tough challenge.
The Cooper-Sununu clash isn’t just about one TV moment. It’s a battle over accountability. Musk and Trump are exposing decades of government abuse, while the left fights to protect the status quo. For working Americans tired of wasted paychecks, this cleanup can’t come fast enough.
