Democratic Maine Rep. Jared Golden urged his party to pump the brakes on their reflexive, hair-trigger responses to Republican advances in an interview with The Washington Post on Friday.
Golden expressed frustration with Democrats’ tendency to quickly characterize President Donald Trump’s agenda as “dictatorial or illegal,” arguing such rhetoric undermines the party’s credibility. Democratic lawmakers have intensified such language primarily in response to the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) broad reshuffling efforts across several executive agencies to eliminate wasteful spending and restructure the priorities of taxpayer-funded programs.
The congressman, who represents Maine’s most competitive district, appeared to extend an olive branch to Republicans, calling for bipartisan cooperation on tariffs, energy and reducing government waste.
“I don’t think that it’s been very effective, the Dem response, so far,” Golden told the outlet. “In fact, I’m frustrated by it. If you make everything Defcon 5, then eventually nothing is Defcon 5, you know what I mean? And on questions of overreach of constitutional authority, it’s not always so cut and dry.”
Many House Democrats have employed harsh rhetoric to criticize Trump’s fast-moving agenda to clean up wasteful federal spending that has poured millions of taxpayer dollars into far-left causes, arguing the president’s actions signify an autocratic takeover of the country. Democratic Massachusetts Rep. Ayanna Pressley promised to bring “fire” to the GOP on Tuesday over Elon Musk’s involvement in the Treasury Department and other agencies, while Democratic New Jersey Rep. LaMonica McIver threatened to “shut down” the Senate over the DOGE’s alleged “hostile takeover” of the federal government. Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar even argued Trump’s cuts to the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) resembled the “beginning of a dictatorship.”(RELATED: ‘The DNA Of Our Foreign Policy’: How USAID Hid Behind Humanitarianism To Export Radical Left-Wing Priorities Abroad)
Golden described his party’s response to Trump’s policies as “undisciplined,” arguing the immediate claims of “unconstitutional” overreach touch on supposedly nuanced, and not self-evident, issues. The congressman also warned that “swing[ing] at every pitch” in response to Trump’s actions could obscure the more substantial policies the party should be opposing.
“But a part of my concern with responding to everything with outrage is it obscures — potentially — what they actually do. … Like if they put forward a deficit-busting tax policy, it’s just terrible for the country. Deficit-funded tax breaks for the rich,” he added.
While Golden joined others in his party in criticizing Elon Musk’s DOGE, he also argued that “you’d be hard-pressed” to find anyone who opposes streamlining federal processes and cutting frivolous spending. He additionally noted that constitutional questions surrounding Musk’s initiatives have polarized an issue area otherwise “ripe for bipartisan work.” (RELATED: While Many Liberals Warn Of Next Four Years, Some Signal Chumminess And Willingness To Work With Trump Administration)
“Elon Musk is just, I think, getting out ahead of the president’s skis, and is just going in there and moving fast and aggressively, arising concerns and questions of ‘Is this legal? Is this not legal?’ is creating a headache for the president’s agenda on an issue that otherwise would be ripe for bipartisan work,” he said.
A handful of high-profile Democrats, such as Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman and New York City Mayor Eric Adams have repeatedly signaled a similar desire to cooperate with the Trump administration — including on proposals to which the party is historically more opposed.
Golden is a member of the House Blue Dog Coalition, a caucus of self-described “pragmatic” Democrats. He was elected in 2018.
Maxine Waters is the best example of why her district’s reading scores are as low as Maine’s. Second example is the Governor of Maine and her Department of Education.
If Golden is serious he will declare himself a Republican .
He would then be THE ONLY ONE we have in Washington .
Jared, as far as democrat’s go you suck a little less than most (about the same as collins), still ill be happy when your partys outlawed for corruption.
I have to respect the guy for being a Marine .
If he’d join the Republican Party I’d request him more .
You’re part of the problem golden. Sucked to Soros to get elected . Your know patriot your a tyrant right along with the rest your money grubbing thieving friends .
2 headed snake
Still a democrat who voted with the democrats. When he goes after the Maine democrats, Mills, King, Pingree, Talbot-Ross, Frey, Bellows, then maybe I will pay attention to what he says. Right now his votes speak for him.
Welcome to party, pal
Golden see the light but he can not figure how to make the change—Just do it Jarret.
F U Golden ! You’re in office because you cheated using RCV. Stay on your own team and face the music in 2026 !
It’s called “Trump Derangement Syndrome” Jared. We Republicans relish the teeth gnashing and the bitter tears of the left after having to sit on our hands during the idiot Biden’s term in office.
The libs haven’t learned a thing and I hope they keep it up through 2026. There’s that saying from the 60’s – Lead, follow or get out of the way.
Jared the fence sitter.
https://x.com/RepGolden/status/1886917733285056617?t=4mL5AX4FqkJiW_vpKY77Yg&s=19
Jared must be receiving many many calls from his district who voted for Trump.
Would be great if you honestly and truthfully did work with the Trump administration, but if what I have read is true you have called Musk a billionaire a weirdo, I wonder what he names George and Alex Soros.
Grifters gotta grift
Without rank choice voting to cheat this guy is the Lewiston dog catcher.
It’s going to be good for business at the insane asylum.
He has to get away from the democrat party, most of them are mental cases, all you have to do is turn on the tv. Watching Schumer, Maxine and AOC has become hilarious😆. They don’t even make sense! C’monman!
The user comments at AOL/Yahoo are astounding to read. Some accounts are active 24/7 with a constant flow of falsehoods designed to enrage others. Comparisons to Hitler and even some openly calling for assassinations. It’s the same strategy that very likely provoked two assassination attempts on Donald Trump. I contacted Golden’s office asking who I could contact about reigning in the manufactured rage and got a response from Golden’s office that they must send out to whackos, oh, and despite asking not to be placed on Golden’s mailing list I was. The left is trying to enrage potential assassins with help from the mainstream media.
Does any hard working family think Maxine Waters, Omar, or Bernie Sanders represents their best interests here in America? So many of the spending programs Elon’s group has exposed are an absolute waste of taxpayer dollars abroad while American families worry about the high costs of food, fuel, housing, and transportation. Too bad those Democrats didn’t fight as hard to take care of the folks impacted by the recent natural disasters in the Carolinas and other states. Did anyone see Waters, Omar, or Sanders calling for more aid for those families? And there is a big disconnect from what Jared Golden says versus what he actually does. He might “talk” common sense from time to time, but he votes in almost total lock step with Pelosi and whatever comes down the pike from the Democratic Party. If he occasionally votes against a bill, you can count on the fact that his vote has zero impact on the outcome of the bill, and he won’t be raising his voice too loudly about it until election time. Then he will point to the vote as him being a “maverick”…an “independent thinker”…..the words don’t match up with the actions. He is very obviously trying to position himself for a run at Governor with this interview, he sees the tide is changing and he is trying to get out in front of it.
Jared Golden voted against tge Women’s sports bill, which is supported by 79% of the American people. That’s how left wing he is.
Golden knows this is his last term in office. If not fir the Democrat’s RCV scam, we woukd have Representative Theriault right now!
And District 2 would have one representative in Congress!
Boozy Suzy is a turncoat closet Democrat!
The Democrat’s are holding up saving our money. Get out of our way. stop spending our money. Angus save our money. Pingree your are dead weight!
Our state democrats tend to be one of two types. The first type is the socialist really annoying ones. The second is the seemingly less annoying but actually more annoying snake-like liar type. I think most can figure out who fits that category, but in case you can’t, it’s the Golden Boy himself, Jared Foldin’
I DON’T TRUST HIM!
Another open border guy,
Of course the POS wants to change parties. Nobody wants him, so let’s try Rep. Party. BUT I do know conservatives for sure DON’T. SO Go call Angus maybe he will take you in.