WASHINGTON – A clandestine Democratic strategy to thwart President Donald Trump’s second-term agenda was laid bare this week, prompting furious demands from Republicans for the expulsion of implicated lawmakers. Dubbed the “11th-Hour Defense Mode” by insiders, the scheme—uncovered in a bombshell Axios report—aims to exploit the lame-duck session to shield Biden-era policies from Trump’s promised overhaul, including mass deportations and federal workforce cuts.
At its core, the plan involves House Democrats, led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, rushing through executive orders to protect civil servants, fast-track immigrant citizenship applications, and redirect unspent funds from programs like clean energy subsidies before Republicans seize full control in January. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, outgoing chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, urged colleagues to “roll up our sleeves and get into defense and protection mode,” proposing Biden issue preemptive shields against Trump’s Schedule F executive order, which would reclassify thousands of federal employees as at-will hires for easier firings.
The exposure has unleashed a MAGA firestorm. Trump, posting on Truth Social, branded it “the most egregious abuse of power since 2020,” vowing investigations into “treasonous sabotage.” House Speaker Mike Johnson echoed the rage, introducing a resolution to censure involved Democrats and explore expulsion under House Rule XXIII for “disorderly behavior.” “These radicals are hijacking the people’s mandate—expel them all to restore integrity,” Johnson thundered during a GOP caucus meeting.
Democrats fired back, framing the maneuvers as routine transition tactics. Jeffries defended the efforts on MSNBC as “defending democracy from authoritarian overreach,” citing Trump’s embrace of Project 2025 blueprints to dismantle agencies. Yet with a slim Democratic Senate edge until January, the plot risks backfiring: Republicans, poised for House and Senate majorities, are accelerating their own shutdown threats over spending bills, potentially stranding the Democrats’ moves in limbo.
Legal experts warn of constitutional pitfalls, with the rushed orders likely facing court challenges akin to those that bogged down Trump’s first-term initiatives. As the shutdown clock ticks—now in day three—the revelation has supercharged partisan warfare. Trump’s allies, including Elon Musk, decry it as “insurrection 2.0,” while progressives hail it as a bulwark against “fascist blueprints.” With inauguration looming, this exposed gambit could define the lame-duck’s legacy: heroic resistance or blatant subversion? Expulsion votes may soon test the House’s fury.
