Since returning to the White House, President Trump has been pushing the limits of executive power to deliver on his agenda and "drain the Swamp."

During his first term, Trump was often undermined by insubordinate officials, who were celebrated in the press for resisting him. Trump has assembled a team of loyalists for his second term, and he is moving quickly to deliver results with a series of tough executive decisions.

The president fired 17 federal agency watchdogs over the weekend, sparking partisan pushback from Democrats as Republicans rallied behind him.

Republicans defend Trump firings

Trump dismissed the alarmed reaction from his opponents while speaking with reporters on Saturday and suggested there were good reasons for the firings.

“It’s a very common thing to do,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One, according to the Washington Post.

“I don’t know them,” he said. “But some people thought that some were unfair or some were not doing their job. It’s a very standard thing to do."

Democrats say Trump is testing the limits of his power with an "illegal" action, while top Republicans have supported Trump's move, a sign of his strong grip on Washington.

During a Sunday morning interview, Republican Lindsey Graham (SC) said Trump understandably wants people in government who share his agenda.

“It's not the first time people have come in and put their team in,” Graham said. “When you win an election, you need people in your administration that reflect your views.”

Illegal move, or draining the Swamp?

Trump's critics claim that he is violating federal law that requires a 30-day notice of dismissal.

“President Trump is dismantling checks on his power and paving the way for widespread corruption," wrote Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren (MA)

Meanwhile, Trump faced some muted pushback from senior Republican Senator Chuck Grassley (IA), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who asked Trump to provide an explanation.

“There may be good reason the IGs were fired. We need to know that if so,” he said. “I’d like further explanation from President Trump,” Grassley said. “Regardless, the 30-day detailed notice of removal that the law demands was not provided to Congress.”

Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso (R-WY) said, “Some of them deserve to be fired. And the president is going to make wise decisions on those.”

While Democrats hope they can portray Trump as a dangerous authoritarian, his move is certain to be welcomed by many Americans as a sign of the president's resolve to reform a corrupt federal government.