WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump will meet with the Office of Budget and Management to determine which government agencies and programs should receive spending cuts during the federal shutdown — hinting that Democratic-aligned projects will be on the chopping block.
Trump said he would meet with OMB Director Russ Vought, who oversees how the federal government spends its money and how federal agencies are run, to determine which offices would be cut in the coming days as federal funding remains frozen. The talks come after Vought spoke with Republican lawmakers on Wednesday, hinting at upcoming cuts and layoffs.
“I have a meeting today with Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame, to determine which of the many Democrat Agencies, most which are a political SCAM, he recommends to be cut, and whether or not these cuts will be temporary or permanent,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social. “I can’t believe the Radical Left Democrats gave me this unprecedented opportunity. They are not stupid people, so maybe this is their way of wanting to, quietly and quickly, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Shortly after the shutdown took place at midnight on Wednesday, Vought has already canceled $8 billion in funding for green energy projects in 16 states as well as $18 billion in infrastructure projects in New York — directly targeting top congressional Democrats Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer.
Vought has also directed agencies to prepare “reduction in force” plans in the case of a shutdown next week, laying the groundwork for mass firings across the federal government. Those layoffs are likely to affect Democratic-aligned programs, as Vought specifically targeted jobs that are not “consistent with the President’s priorities.”
The sweeping cuts to federal funding has raised questions about whether the president has the authority to target programs that don’t align with his priorities and withhold funding that has already been approved by Congress.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., defended Trump’s decision on Thursday, telling reporters the president has the constitutional authority to make these decisions in the event of a shutdown.
“That is not a fun task, and he is not enjoying that responsibility,” Johnson said. “Now, when he sits down as the director of OMB, he will obviously have a subjective determination on the priorities, and what do you think he would do? Because what would any OMB director do under any president? They’re going to look to see for the administration’s priorities first and ensure that those are funded.”
The spending cuts come as the government enters its second day of the shutdown and the Senate remains at an impasse on a spending plan.
The Senate on Wednesday failed to pass a Republican-led resolution to fund the government until Nov. 21, marking the third time the bill has been rejected when brought to the floor for a vote. Instead, Democrats are demanding to include language to reverse health care cuts previously approved in Trump’s tax package this summer and to permanently extend Obamacare tax credits, at a cost of more than $1 trillion.
The Senate is not expected to vote again until Friday, with possible votes over the weekend if a deal is not made.