While a Trump executive branch official undermining the credibility of an independent agency that serves as a check on his actions is not new, Trump’s allies in Congress have at least, up until this point, tried to operate with a veneer of respect for offices and agencies within its purview.

It's critical for everyone to remember what an Executive Order is. It is the President communicating orders to members of the executive branch. Policies to pursue, actions to take, etc. They are not laws. They are not close to being laws. They are formalized memos to employees. That's all.