In brief
Donald Trump has seized on the recent government shutdown to signal drastic cuts within 'Democrat agencies', with Russell Vought—director of the Office of Management and Budget—leading the charge. Despite Trump previously disavowing aspects of Vought's conservative blueprint, Project 2025, he now portrays Vought as an enforcer ready to enforce a rigorous budget-slashing agenda. The shifting dynamics raise questions about the impact of such measures on government services and public sentiment amid the ongoing political struggle.
Donald Trump had a warning to Democrats. Soon he will decide what 'Democrat agencies' he would cut and whether those reductions would be temporary or permanent. He said the government shutdown, which began on Tuesday, had afforded him an 'unprecedented opportunity'. 'I have a meeting today with Russ Vought, he of PROJECT 2025 Fame,' he posted on his Truth Social website on Thursday morning. Vought, the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, may not be a household name. But Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for governing put together primarily by former Trump officials like Vought when the Republicans were out of power, featured prominently during last year's presidential campaign. The 900-page policy document contained proposals for dramatic reductions in the size of the federal government, expanded presidential authority, rigorous immigration enforcement, a nationwide abortion ban and other elements of an ultra-conservative social agenda. It was frequently touted by Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, as Trump's 'dangerous plan' for the future if he was to win. At the time, seeking to reassure undecided voters, Trump tried to distance himself from the policy document.'I know nothing about Project 2025,' Trump wrote in July 2024. 'I disagree with some of the things they're saying, and some of the things they're saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal.' Now, however, Trump is using the conservative blueprint as a threat to get Democrats to agree to his budgetary demands and is holding up Vought, who authored a chapter on the use of executive power, as a kind of budgetary angel of death, ready to take a scythe to government programmes near and dear to Democrats.In case that particular metaphor wasn't clear, on Thursday night Trump shared an AI-generated parody music video on Truth Social with Vought portrayed as the grim reaper, set to altered lyrics of Blue Oyster Cult's Don't Fear the Reaper. On Capitol Hill, Republican leaders have echoed Trump's characterisation of Vought as the White House heavy. 'We don't control what he's going to do,' Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune said. 'This is the risk of shutting down the government and handing the keys to Russ Vought.' Senator Mike Lee of Utah told Fox News that Vought had been 'preparing for this moment since puberty.' That may be a bit of an overstatement, but Vought, who cut his teeth as a congressional staffer for Republican budget hawks and helped run the lobbying arm of the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, has a wealth of experience digging through the intricacies of the federal budget.Throughout his tenure, Vought has operated with a clear mandate—to streamline federal operations—and has become a central figure in Trump's approach to government spending and management. As they navigate this shutdown, Vought could invoke more drastic measures, potentially reshaping the federal landscape in the process.
